The World Bank will provide a loan of $370 million to prevent water pollution and improve sanitation systems in Dhaka and its surrounding areas.
This information was announced in a press release issued by the World Bank’s Dhaka office on Wednesday (February 11).
According to the press release, this financing was approved at a meeting of executive directors at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C., USA. Under the ‘Metro Dhaka Water Security and Resilience’ program, the capacity of various city corporations in Dhaka and Dhaka Wasa (Water Supply and Sewerage Authority) will be enhanced. The primary goal of the project is to reduce water pollution in rivers and canals, restoring their navigability and natural flow.
Through this project, approximately 550,000 people will gain access to improved sanitation facilities, and 500,000 people will benefit from enhanced waste management. Priority will be given particularly to polluted and underserved areas.
Jean-Pérès Pésme, the World Bank’s Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, stated, “Dhaka’s water bodies are the lifeline for millions of people. Rapid and unplanned urbanization has led to a breakdown in waste management, adversely impacting public health and the economy. This project will establish an institutional foundation for restoring the health of Dhaka’s rivers and canals.”
A World Bank report indicates that only 20% of Dhaka’s residents are covered by piped sewerage systems. Conversely, over 80% of untreated wastewater directly flows into the city’s water bodies and rivers. Furthermore, more than half of Dhaka’s canals have either disappeared or are filled with waste.
The report also highlights that 80% of the country’s export-oriented garment factories are located in and around Dhaka. Approximately 7,000 factories discharge 2,400 million liters of untreated waste into rivers daily, contributing to an increase in skin diseases, diarrhea, and other neurological problems. The project will involve the private sector in initiatives to enhance industrial effluent treatment plants (ETPs) and promote water reuse.
Harsh Goyal, Senior Water Specialist and Task Team Leader at the World Bank, stated that their program is part of a long-term plan. The first phase will commence in specific areas of Dhaka and Narayanganj. Water testing, ‘digital real-time monitoring,’ and an integrated river restoration plan will be adopted. Additionally, the project aims to reduce direct discharge of waste into rivers or drains by improving primary waste collection systems, modernizing recycling, and raising public awareness.