TBM Report
The World Bank has approved a $370 million loan (equivalent to over BDT 4,000 crore) to curb water pollution and improve sanitation systems in Dhaka and its surrounding areas.
According to a statement released by the World Bank’s Dhaka office on Wednesday (11 February), the financing was approved during a meeting of the Board of Executive Directors at the organization’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Under the “Metro Dhaka Water Security and Resilience” program, the project aims to enhance the capacities of Dhaka’s city corporations and Dhaka WASA. The primary objective is to reduce pollution in rivers and canals while restoring their navigability and natural flow. The World Bank estimates that the initiative will provide approximately 550,000 people with improved sanitation facilities and 500,000 people with better waste management services, prioritizing areas currently deprived of these essential utilities.
Abdoulaye Seck, the World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, emphasized that water bodies are the lifeline for millions in Dhaka. However, he noted that rapid and unplanned urbanization has led to a collapse in waste management, adversely affecting public health and the economy. This project is intended to establish the institutional framework necessary to restore the health of Dhaka’s rivers and canals.
The World Bank’s report highlights a dire situation: only 20% of Dhaka’s residents are covered by a piped sewerage system, while over 80% of untreated sewage flows directly into the city’s water bodies and rivers. Furthermore, more than half of Dhaka’s original canals have either disappeared or remain clogged with solid waste.
The report also underscores the industrial impact, noting 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 a rise in skin diseases, diarrhea, and neurological complications. The new project seeks to involve the private sector in developing Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) and promoting water recycling.
