GAIBANDHA, Oct 17, 2021 (BSS) - The National Sanitation Month and Global
Handwashing Day 2021 was observed in the district today with a call to stop
the defecation in open space and improve sanitation and hygiene systems
across the country.

     This year's theme of the day is 'Future is at Hand-let's Move Forward
Together.'

     Marking the day, the district administration and department of public
health and engineering (DPHE) chalked out elaborate programmes in cooperation
with a number of non-government organizations including SKS Foundation, Gana
Unnayan Kendra (GUK), BDRCS, Gaindha unit, Swiss Red Cross, RDRS Bangladesh,
Friendship, BRAC and ICCO Cooperation of Netherlands.

     A discussion meeting was held at the conference room of the Deputy
Commissioner marking the importance of the month with executive engineer of
DPHE here Md. Rezwan Hossain in the chair while DC Abdul Matin addressed the
meeting as the chief guest.

     The meeting was also addressed among others by Sadar upazila parishad
chairman Shah Sarwar Kabir, coordinator of SKS Foundation Ashraf Alam and
journalist KM Rezaul Haque.

     The speakers underscored the need for creating much awareness among the
people particularly chars and river basin dwellers of the district about the
use of sanitary latrines, safe drinking water and following hygienic rules
for a better and disease-free society.

     Washing hands especially after going to the latrine and before eating
and good hygiene practice could reduce the risk of water-borne diseases like
diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, hookworm, and ringworm among the people to a
great extent, they said.

     DC Abdul Matin said the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
has taken and implemented multifarious activities for the development of
public health along with ensuring sanitation facilities.