Staff Reporter:Public health experts stressed the crucial role of transparency, accountability, and citizen involvement in the water and sanitation sector to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which aims to ensure clean water and sanitation for all.
The seminar titled “Water Integrity Management: Experience, Challenges, and Way Forward,” public health experts underscored, held on Wednesday and organised by the NGO Forum for Public Health, was funded by the Water Integrity Network (WIN), based in Germany. It focused on enhancing the services provided by WASA and city corporations, with an emphasis on making these services more efficient and centered on citizens’ needs.
SMA Rashid, Executive Director of the NGO Forum, who chaired the event, spoke about the organisation’s partnerships with WASAs in Chattogram, Khulna, and Rajshahi, and their ongoing collaboration with Rangpur City Corporation. He stressed the need for greater transparency and accountability to improve citizen-focused service delivery, noting that Bangladesh is falling behind in meeting the targets for SDG 6.
The seminar featured key figures, including Md Fazlur Rahman, the Managing Director of Dhaka WASA, and Mohammad Saiful Islam Mazumder, Joint Secretary of the Local Government Division.
Mary Galvin, program lead at WIN, presented research findings and recommendations, revealing that 26% of the allocated funds for water projects are lost due to corruption, lack of transparency, and poor risk management, often resulting in project failures. She also discussed sensitive issues such as harassment within the water supply sector.
Professor Tanvir Ahmed from BUET, in his keynote address, highlighted the significant funding gap for achieving SDG 6 and pointed out that corruption consumes a quarter of the available resources. He also stressed the importance of better regulatory frameworks and coordination between ministries.
Md Fazlur Rahman called for a collective effort to bridge the gap between service providers and users. He advocated for more funding and a shift in perspective, urging the public service delivery system to be seen as a duty rather than a privilege.
Joint Secretary Saiful Islam Mazumder underlined the importance of effective coordination among stakeholders to enhance service delivery and meet the increasing demand for water and sanitation services.
The seminar concluded with a pledge to prioritise public awareness and participatory governance in order to meet SDG 6 and ensure sustainable access to water and sanitation for all.
Transparency, accountability needs on SDG goals in water-sanitation: Experts
