'Toilet Conference 2025' commences with emphasis on global sanitation solutions

Bangladesh hosts the significant Toilet Conference 2025, themed `The Future of Sanitation'. This two-day conference commenced today at the Hotel InterContinental Dhaka, providing a global platform for industry experts, academics, policymakers, development partners, and researchers to address pressing sanitation challenges and foster innovative solutions.

Among the distinguished attendees at the inaugural ceremony were H E Mr Andre Carstens, Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh; H E Mr Nicolas Weeks, Ambassador of the Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka; Hasin Jahan, Country Director of WaterAid Bangladesh; Ms Rana Flowers, Representative UNICEF; and Jack Sim Juek Wah, Founder of the World Toilet Organization. The event also saw participation from various government officials, national & international delegates, representatives from the development and private sector, and journalists from the press and electronic media.

At the first plenary session on innovative technologies and climate resilience sanitation, keynotes were delivered by Juliet Willetts, Professor at the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney, and Emeritus Professor Feroze Ahmed from Stamford University Bangladesh. And, at the second plenary on Sanitation Financing and Private Sector Engagement, keynotes were delivered by Antoinette Kome, Global Head of Water at SNV, and Anandita Kakkar, Leader of Marketing at SATO (Asia). The event also featured multiple technical sessions concurrently addressing topics such as sanitation financing, climate-resilient sanitation, gender equality, disability and social inclusion, innovative technology, and private-sector involvement.

This conference serves as a unique opportunity for government representatives from the Global South to present their best practices, policy objectives, and developmental strategies in sanitation to a diverse global audience. It underscores the importance of integrating sanitation into broader developmental goals, thus empowering these nations to play a pivotal role in advancing progress. Convened by ITN-BUET, SNV, UNICEF, and WaterAid, this conference receives support from the Gates Foundation, Kimberly-Clark, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), and UK International Development. The platinum partner for the conference is RFL, while BRAC and Practical Action are the gold partners.

Hosting this global event positions Bangladesh as a leader in the sanitation movement, showcasing its commitment to equity, innovation, and sustainability. The conference's insights and recommendations will enrich national and international policies and provide a roadmap for transformative change. As the world converges in Dhaka, the Toilet Conference 2025 stands as a testament to the power of collective action and a call to academicians, practitioners, policymakers, and sector actors to collaborate, innovate, and lead the way toward a future where sanitation is not a privilege but a universal right. The stakes are high, but so is the potential for progress—a future where health, dignity, and sustainability are realised for all.

Hasin Jahan- Country Director, WaterAid Bangladesh

We often limit our thinking of sanitation as a toilet, a topic not to discuss. However, we all know every child must have a decent toilet to attend school regularly, to perform better academically. Every girl and woman must have a toilet to enjoy privacy and dignity by accessing safe sanitation, and every human should have proper toilet facilities for improved productivity. Most importantly, the world must be protected from environmental pollution by treating human waste correctly. Therefore, the toilet is everyone's business.

H E Mr Nicolas Weeks, Ambassador to the Embassy Sweden in Dhaka

This conference marks a significant milestone in the global effort to rethink sanitation under the theme 'the future sanitation'. Today, we have come together to advance the sanitation journey and drive positive change, pushing the boundaries of sanitation solutions and working towards access for all. Ultimately, we are working towards achieving the sustainable development goal of 'leave no one behind', the central promise for the 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals.

Jack Sim Juek Wah, also known as Mr Toilet, Founder of Water Toilet Organization

Toilet, is the cheapest medicine in the world. If you invest in toilets, sanitation, and hand washing, you reduce the number of illnesses. The cost-benefit analysis for this is fantastic. Secondly, we clean up the rivers. We clean up the drinking water. So, after we clean up sanitation and water, we clean up our mindset.

H E Mr Andre Carstens, Head of Mission to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh

The future of sanitation in Bangladesh holds excellent promise. Technology-driven solutions, such as smart toilets and advanced wastewater management, are paving the way for the next development phase. However, to achieve real progress, we must break the stigma around sanitation discussions and accelerate investment in innovative, inclusive solutions.

Ms Rana Flowers, Representative, UNICEF Bangladesh

You may talk to me about the critical top priorities—health, education, and nutrition. But do you know what undermines every single one of them? Do you know what repeatedly sends our children to hospital, increasing healthcare costs? Sanitation. It is the foundation that supports these pillars of child development.That is why we must shift our focus. Governments must prioritise sanitation by making the right investments and policies.