Bangladesh launching

Inauguration of “Sanitation Advocacy Networking in South Asia” Project in Bangladesh

Bernadia I. Tjandradewi receiving a plaque of appreciation from MAB in the inauguration of Sanitation Project on 30 April 2018 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

THE vision that urban areas will be centre of living place in 2030 has spurred cities to be re-designed. Local governments as key actor of local development are to re-think their city’s planning in order to be able to meet the needs in the slowly approaching future.

However, meeting the forthcoming demand can only be conducted if local governments are able to firstly meet current demand. UCLG ASPAC takes further and concrete step in assisting local governments. In close collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UCLG ASPAC assists local governments in Bangladesh in overcoming sanitation challenges through implementation of "Municipalities Network on the Sanitation

in South Asia" Project. The project’s inauguration ceremony was conducted on 30 April 2018.

The inauguration marked the close cooperation between UCLG ASPAC and Municipal Association of Bangladesh (MAB), representing local governments in the country; while the MoU signing formalised the collaboration. Representing UCLG ASPAC was Secretary General Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, while MAB was represented by Mr. Md. Rafiqul Islam, who is also the Mayor of Shariatpur Municipality. Under this agreement, the efficiency of sanitation will be increased to five municipalities of the country.

Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, Advisor, Caretaker Government, Bangladesh and Executive Chairman said Bangladesh is gradually becoming a rural and urban city. The government, the MAB and the development agency will have to work together to tackle the challenges of rapid urbanisation here. This is a big challenge for sanitation issues, especially proper management of all types of waste. This program caters waste collection, dumping, and treatment plants. >> A shared commitment to closely collaborate and tackle sanitation challenges in Bangladesh.

Dr. Bernadia said urbanisation highlighted the importance of local development with the development of its organisation activities.

Decentralised waste management is the answer because cities and municipalities cannot always expect big fund or rely on government support for centralised waste management system. Because of this, UCLG ASPAC, through this project, assists in getting solution of the urban sanitation issues in coordination with organisation like MAB. Currently, the project will be implemented in five municipalities; however, this is an on-going job for the government to escalate the program to other municipalities in the future.

Honorable Minister of Liberation War Affairs, AKM Mozammel Haque, was present as the Chief Guest, stating that one of the tasks of municipality is to serve the people. He further mentioned that it was difficult to get the services provided by the government and provide

the necessary services with the help of personal income. Some project-affected municipalities could offer better services than others because even with the government's support, not all municipalities could do this work. All rich people of the society, national, international organisations and government institutions would have to come forward, so that a livable city was built.

He congratulated the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for supporting the implementation of the program. Noting the Project was to be implemented in five (5) cities and municipalities, he urged to increase the number of municipalities into 11. Dr. Bernadia was requested to consider this matter because he believed such programs will contribute to solve South Asian sanitation problems, particularly in Bangladesh.