Experts stress need for increasing budget allocation to WASH sector
Experts have recommended increasing the allocation to the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector in the next budget.
They said the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 will be hindered if the allocation to the WASH sector is not increased.
The demand was jointly made by WaterAid Bangladesh, Power and Participation Research Center (PPRC), UNICEF Bangladesh, FANSA Bangladesh, FSM Network, Bangladesh Water Integrity Network (BWIN), Sanitation and Water for All - End Water Poverty, MHM Platform, and Wash Alliance International in a pre-budget press conference held at the National Press Club on Tuesday.
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The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene underscores the percentage having access to 'safely managed drinking water' stands at 59% and percentage having access to 'safely managed sanitation' stands at 39% only.
Power and Participation Research Center (PPRC) Chairman Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman presented the keynote address at the event.
In order to achieve the SDG targets of the sector in the next 7 years, Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman suggested an increased budget allocation and increased capacity of policy support, funding and implementation agencies - especially WASH.
He said that the government aims to make safe water availability and sanitation 100% by 2030.
This requires a monitoring agency to monitor allocations to the WASH sector, he added.
Key findings from the WASH Budget Analysis Study done by PPRC supported by WaterAid, indicated a long-term trend in WASH ADP allocation, with an upward trend but this proportionate increase over the preceding fiscal year is lower (5.44%) than the corresponding rate of increase in the overall annual development program (ADP) size (7.4%).
Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman outlined the recommendations for ADP allocation to the WASH sector in FY 2023-2024. He said inaccessible areas, grasslands, coasts, haor and hilly areas need more attention.
WaterAid Country Director Hasin Jahan said that the people of the coast should go to Nature Bay's solution for clean water. Tubewell water is not drinkable in many places due to salinity. There the ponds should be preserved and the water should be purified and a sustainable project should be taken for food.
