To redefine the future of sanitation, ITN-BUET proudly convened the Toilet Conference 2025 jointly with WaterAid Bangladesh, UNICEF Bangladesh, and SNV, which was held at the InterContinental Dhaka, Bangladesh, from February 25 to 26, 2025. The conference had more than 500 participants from 28 countries, among which 40% were youth and 38% were female. It saw a collaborative engagement between global experts, policymakers, academics and other pioneers in the global sanitation sector. The event commenced with an inaugural session featuring high-level representatives from international agencies and global development partners.
Other than being one of the key conveners of the conference, ITN-BUET also played a significant role by showcasing its role in capacity building and interdisciplinary research in the sanitation sector. It also facilitated technical sessions, panel discussions, research paper presentations, hosted a stall to disseminate its knowledge materials and more.
At the dedicated stall of its own, ITN-BUET presented and disseminated its research packages, training modules, publications and achievements to the national and international participants of the conference. An institutional introductory video of ITN-BUET was also presented at the conference, highlighting ITN-BUET’s wide reach in the WASH sector in Bangladesh and beyond.
In the Toilet Conference, ITN-BUET facilitated a technical session on ‘Fostering Innovation to Accelerate Safely Managed Sanitation for All’ which was chaired by Prof. Dr. Rowshan Mamtaz, Director of ITN-BUET and moderated by Mr. Md. Azizur Rahman, Research Officer at ITN-BUET. In addition to participating in other technical sessions, ITN-BUET facilitated a group discussion on capacity building for human resources in sanitation sector, led by Mr. Alauddin Ahmed, Project Manager at ITN-BUET.
ITN-BUET also presented three research papers in the conference and supported participation of key sector leaders and academic scholars including two faculties of the Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Indonesia.
The founder Director of ITN-BUET, Prof. Dr. M. Feroze Ahmed and former Director of ITN-BUET, Prof. Dr. Tanvir Ahmed, contributed their valuable insights on advancing sanitation technologies and gender inclusivity in sustainable sanitation in their keynote speeches at the conference. The honorable Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Professor Dr. Abu Borhan Mohammad Badruzzaman graced the conference as the Chief Guest of the closing ceremony of the conference and expressed his unwavering support and praise for the role of ITN-BUET in the sanitation sector of Bangladesh and beyond.
With support from Gates Foundation and other major global contributors in the development sector, the conference witnessed knowledge exchanging, innovation and collaboration among all the stakeholders and partners in the global sanitation sector to achieve sustainable and inclusive sanitation and hygiene solutions.
