Hard-to-Reach Areas in Bangladesh: Challenges and Opportunities for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Services

Strategic Insights -

Almost universal access to basic drinking water has been achieved in Bangladesh, but progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is uneven, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. Extreme poverty, geographical isolation, and climate change exacerbate the challenges faced by these communities. The National Strategy for Water and Sanitation Development in Hard-to-Reach Areas of Bangladesh (2012) identified specific regions, including haors, baors, chars, coastal regions, hills, tea gardens, and urban low-income communities, which require urgent attention. Climate-resilient and adaptive solutions, such as artificial groundwater recharge systems, rainwater harvesting, and drought-resilient WASH infrastructure, are essential to overcome these challenges.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hard-to-reach areas in Bangladesh include haors, baors, chars, coastal regions, hills, tea gardens, and urban low-income communities, which face significant challenges in accessing basic water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services.
  • These communities are characterized by geographical isolation, extreme poverty, and the devastating effects of climate change, perpetuating a cycle of high child mortality and poverty.
  • The primary issues in these areas range from prolonged floods and waterlogging in haor and beel regions to drought in the Barind region, and frequent cyclones, tidal surges, and salinity in coastal regions.
  • Structural obstacles, such as a lack of climate-resilient design, poor coordination with disaster risk reduction measures, inadequate budgets, and weak oversight, worsen the situation.
  • Solutions include introducing artificial groundwater recharge systems, rainwater harvesting, and building drought-resilient WASH infrastructure in drought-prone areas, constructing salt-resistant and raised WASH infrastructure in coastal regions, and gravity-fed systems and low-cost toilets in hills and tea gardens.
  • The 2012 National Strategy for Water and Sanitation Development in Hard-to-Reach Areas of Bangladesh must be urgently updated to adapt to the changing climate and evolving needs of hard-to-reach areas, prioritizing climate-resilient and adaptive solutions.
  • The revised strategy should consider financing through the private sector and microcredit, rather than relying solely on government grants, and emphasize effective coordination among local government bodies, various ministries, departments, NGOs, and the community.
  • Sustainable development is not possible without public participation, and providing safe water and sanitation is not just about building infrastructure; it's about recognizing these as fundamental human rights.

Statistics:

  • Over 90% of Bangladesh's population has access to basic drinking water (Source: [World Bank 2017])
  • However, progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) is uneven, particularly in hard-to-reach areas (Source: [United Nations 2020])
  • Climate change is exacerbating the challenges faced by hard-to-reach communities, with frequent natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, cyclones, landslides, and waterlogging, repeatedly damaging WASH infrastructure (Source: [Bangladesh Ministry of Water Resources 2020])
  • The poorest families in hard-to-reach areas cannot afford the costs of improved WASH services or maintenance (Source: [World Bank 2017])
  • Over 70% of rural Bangladesh lacks adequate sanitation facilities, with many relying on unhygienic, shared toilets (Source: [World Health Organization 2020])
  • Only 30% of Bangladesh's population has access to hygienic menstrual hygiene management facilities, particularly in hard-to-reach areas (Source: [UNICEF 2020])

Sources:

  • Bangladesh Ministry of Water Resources. (2020). Annual Report 2020
  • United Nations. (2020). Sustainable Development Goals Report 2020
  • World Bank. (2017). Bangladesh Development Update: Unlocking Bangladesh's Potential
  • World Health Organization. (2020). Sanitation Fact Sheet
  • UNICEF. (2020). Hygiene and Sanitation in Bangladesh