BSS-48 Tazul urges dev partners to increase assistance to WASH programme

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ZCZC

BSS-48

TAZUL-WASH-ASSISTANCE

Tazul urges dev partners to increase assistance to WASH programme

DHAKA, May 5, 2020 (BSS) – Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Tazul Islam today urged the development partners to enhance their assistance to the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme in the country.

The minister made the call while addressing a virtual meeting on “Bangladesh Strategic Paper to Respond to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) issues during and after the COVID-19 Outbreak” from his official residence in the city in the afternoon, said a press release.

“We were going through right way to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But unfortunately (now) we have to work to contain the global COVID-19 pandemic. We, however, remain united under the leadership of the Prime Minister,” he said.

Tazul expressed hope that the government would be able to overcome the damages caused by the coronavirus with the efforts of all.

Noting that the Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE) under the Local Government Division is implement the WASH programme with the assistance of development partners, including UNICEF, the LGRD minister called for increasing the assistance to the programme.

DPHE, UNICEF, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), ICDDR’B and educationist Dr Mujibur Rahman prepared the strategic paper that would require US$ 846. Of the total amount Bangladesh government will provide US$ 296 while assistance was sought for more US$550.

LGD Senior Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed, Additional Secretary Jahirul Islam, DPHE Chief Engineer Saifur Rahman, World Bank (WB) Country Director Mercy Tembon, WASH Programme Chief of UNICEF, Bangladesh, Dara Johnston, Advisor to the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordination Office Henry Glorieux, Project Coordinator of French Development Agency (AFD) Fanny Nesen and representatives of ADB, IDB, AIIB, SIDA, DFID, EU, KFW, USAID and JICA joined the virtual meeting, among others.

BSS/PR/SAH/MRU/2258hrs