ADB chief opens water operations centre
The President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Masato Kanda, and the Managing Director of Dhaka WASA, Md. Aminul Islam, on Monday jointly inaugurated two key facilities aimed at strengthening water service management and promoting workplace inclusivity within the utility agency.
The initiatives include the Integrated Water Operation Centre (IWOC) and a newly established Child Day Care Centre, both developed with ADB financial support under ongoing Dhaka WASA projects.
The Integrated Water Operation Centre (IWOC), set up under the Dhaka Water Supply Network Improvement Project (DWSNIP), is designed as a GIS-based centralised monitoring and asset management system.
The platform enables real-time, automated tracking of water production and quality from a single control room. Officials say the system is expected to significantly improve operational efficiency, enhance monitoring capacity, and strengthen overall service delivery for Dhaka WASA customers.
Alongside this, the delegation also inaugurated a Child Day Care Centre implemented under the Dhaka Environmentally Sustainable Water Supply Project (DESWS) with ADB grant support.
The facility has been developed in line with Dhaka WASA’s Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Strategy Action Plan, with the aim of creating a more supportive and inclusive working environment, particularly for women employees.
The daycare centre is equipped with breastfeeding facilities, rest and activity spaces, a dining area, child-friendly washrooms, CCTV surveillance, and emergency care support.
It will accommodate up to 20 children aged between six months and six years, providing safe and structured care for the children of Dhaka WASA staff.
Officials said the inauguration of the two facilities reflects Dhaka WASA’s ongoing efforts to modernise its operations while also advancing social inclusion in the workplace, supported by continued collaboration with the Asian Development Bank.
