The five-day intensive technical training on Integrated Municipal Information System (IMIS) Development and Deployment, held from November 23 to November 27, 2024, at the ITN-BUET Seminar Room in Dhaka, marked a significant milestone in strengthening public data systems for sanitation in Bangladesh. Jointly organized by the Global Water and Sanitation Center (GWSC-AIT), Innovative Solution Pvt. Ltd. (ISPL), and the International Training Network Center at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (ITN-BUET), the program brought together six organizations to enhance their technical capacity for implementing IMIS.
A key component of the Strengthening of Public Data Systems for Sanitation in Bangladesh (SPDSSB) initiative, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the training aimed to support the Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) approach and accelerate progress toward Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.2, ensuring equitable and adequate sanitation for all. IMIS, a flagship tool developed under the program, provides a comprehensive digital framework to streamline and monitor sanitation service delivery at both local and national levels.
A total of 19 participants, including 5 female candidates, took part in the event, representing organizations such as Stream Tech Ltd., EQMS, eMythmaker.com, GPAD, GWSC, and Tiller. Participants gained in-depth technical knowledge of IMIS’s system architecture, database structure, deployment procedures, and customization capabilities. Hands-on sessions featured live demonstrations of IMIS’s functionalities, including real-time tracking of the sanitation service chain, integration with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and interactive dashboards for reporting. Practical applications such as data migration, server deployment, and system customization were also explored to address unique municipal needs.
During the closing ceremony on November 27, 2024, Mr. Tushar Mohan Sadhu Khan, Chief Engineer of the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), underscored the importance of robust data collection systems for data-driven decision-making and encouraged increased private-sector involvement in sanitation and waste management initiatives. Mr. Alauddin Ahmed, Project Manager of ITN-BUET, expressed gratitude to the participants for their active engagement. The event concluded with a certificate distribution ceremony, graced by the Chief Engineer of DPHE as the Chief Guest.
Esteemed representatives from the Islamic Development Bank, the CWIS-FSM Support Cell, DPHE, Aspire to Innovate (a2i), and other organizations attended the ceremony. Participants expressed confidence in applying their newly acquired knowledge to improve sanitation service delivery across Bangladesh. The training emphasized the importance of fostering collaboration, transparency, and accountability through innovative digital solutions like IMIS.
This successful training highlights the collaborative efforts of local and international stakeholders in advancing digital public infrastructure for urban sanitation. It marks a significant step toward achieving robust, integrated public data systems that support national planning, resource allocation, and monitoring, while addressing critical challenges in urban sanitation management.
