Most of the laboratory personnel in different environmental laboratories in Bangladesh are priorily dealing with water and wastewater parameters are not familiar to testing fecal sludge parameters. Due to wide variation of composition, concentration and other characterizing parameters, fecal sludge characteristics varies from water or wastewater. Hence, building capacity of laboratory personnel is prerequisite for these laboratories to provide testing support for fecal sludge. To meet-up this gap, ITN-BUET in collaboration with Department of Civil Engineering, BUET has organized a three-day long laboratory training on Fecal Sludge & Wastewater Parameter Analysis for laboratory personnel.
The training was held during 2-4 July 2022 at the Fecal Sludge Reference Laboratory established at the Department of Civil Engineering, BUET, 3rd Floor of Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury Building, BUET. The laboratory is established by ITN-BUET and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for providing nationwide FS testing support and rendering capacity building support to other laboratories in the country.
The training was inaugurated at the ITN-BUET Seminar Room on 2nd July by Prof. Dr. Tanvir Ahmed, Director, ITN-BUET. A total of 15 participants, from six technical university laboratories, DPHE Head Office and laboratory, Dhaka WASA laboratory, NGO Forum for Public Health laboratory, Bangladesh Standard Testing Institute (BSTI) laboratory and DevCon Consultancy Ltd successfully completed the training.
The laboratory-oriented practical training has been blended with supportive lectures. The resource persons included Professors of BUET and environmental laboratory experts. The practical demonstration includes testing of onsite measurement parameter, solid content, organic matter, nutrient and calorific value measurement of fecal sludge. The course also covered fecal sludge management and testing protocol overview, type of sampling procedure and health & safety for sampling and testing fecal sludge.
Prof. Dr. Md. Delwar Hossain, Head, Dept. of Civil Engineering BUET distributed certificates among the participants as Honorable Guest at the closing ceremony of the training. Most of the participants opined that the theoretical sessions facilitation was lively and demonstration sessions were fully understandable and well organized. However, participants suggested to add a field visit to FSTP with this training event in the next. Overall the training met participant’s expectation mostly.
