Mayors from 17 cities recognized CWIS as a key to address sanitation challenges in an event held in ITN-BUET. Scaling City- Wide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) is a primary agenda of government of Bangladesh to achieve safely managed sanitation services in cities. In the process of capacity development in CWIS and FSM, ITN-BUET is orienting different target groups including the Mayors from different cities of Bangladesh jointly with CFSC, DPHE, Municipal Association of Bangladesh (MAB), sector and development partners.
The orientation program held on November 12, 2022, involved concept on CWIS, relevant policies, rules and laws where the mayors from Nilphamari, Madaripur, Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat, Shibganj, Birganj, Monirampur, Ulipur, Patuakhali, Shariatpur, Saidpur, Savar, Thakurgaon, Bera, Khagrachari, Shaistaganj and Jhenadaha cities along with MAB officials participated.
For further acquiring practical knowledge and understanding leadership values regarding CWIS and FSM, ITN-BUET is going to organize a “Leadership Development Sanitation Tour” in collaboration with Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) for the same group of participants during 14-16 November in Telengana, India.
Professor Dr. Tanvir Ahmed, Director, ITN-BUET, presented the concept of CWIS and associated actions needed by the Paurashavas. He presented the success story of Kampala city in CWIS and encouraged the
city leaders to adopt safe and sustainable sanitation system so that in future the world can learn from
our cities.
In the next session, Mr. Alauddin Ahmed, Project Manager, ITN-BUET, presented some important key points of National Action Plan (NAP) for Implementing IRF-FSM and Local-Government Paurashava Act-2009. He assured that ITN-BUET will continue to work with MAB and provide necessary technical and capacity-building support in association with DPHE for this purpose.
Professor Dr. Abdul Jabbar Khan, Pro-Vice Chancellor of BUET in the closing session of the event told that economic development of a country depends on public health to a great extent and to ensure public health safely managed sanitation system is mandatory. He also added that being public representatives the mayors need to come forward and take initiative to establish effective and serviceable sanitation system at their respective Paurashavas. Finally, he concluded with high hope that this orientation event and the follow up tour will elevate the knowledge and perspectives of the city mayors and they will be able to transform their cities as model city for CWIS from the gained experience.
“Establishing functional Fecal Sludge treatment plant in every Paurashavas will be a big step forward for Bangladesh to achieve the SDG-6.2 agenda” said President of Municipal association of Bangladesh and honorable Mayor of Nilphamari Paurashava, Mr. Dewan Kamal Ahmed. He gave emphasis to introduce new and innovative business models to generate revenue through sanitation services and solid waste management.
Among others, honorable Mayor of Shibganj Paurashava, Sayed Monirul Islam shared his experiences on sustainable energy and asserted that capacity-building of Mayors, councilors, municipality engineers and all the officials of the Paurashavas is immensely required for successful implementation of CWIS and FSM system. The program ended with learning expectations from the forthcoming India tour.
