About 230 Tons of Human Waste discharge into Dhaka’s Water Bodies Daily: Urgent Call for Safe Sanitation
Every day, an estimated 230 tons of human waste is dumped directly into open canals, ponds, and water bodies in Dhaka. This alarming figure was revealed at the International Toilet Conference 2025, which held in Dhaka on 25-26 February 2925.
Due to poor sanitation infrastructure, Bangladesh faces an annual economic loss of approximately USD 4.2 billion—equivalent to about 1.5% of its GDP. Beyond the financial loss, marginalized communities, especially children, bear the brunt of severe health risks from unsafe sanitation practices.
The two-day conference, attended by public health experts, representatives from global organizations, and development partners, focused on Bangladesh’s current state of sanitation and the urgent steps needed to ensure safe access for all.
UNICEF Bangladesh Representative, Ms. Runa Flowers, said, “Open defecation poses a major threat to children’s health and development. Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in curbing this harmful practice, but climate-induced disasters like the recent floods in Feni have shown how easily these gains can be wiped out.”
“Every child has the right to grow up in a healthy environment,” she added. “But without proper sanitation systems, their right to health and safety is undermined. Public-private collaboration is essential to bring safe sanitation services to the most vulnerable, especially women and children.”
Hasin Jahan, Country Director of WaterAid Bangladesh, stated, “This conference is not just a platform for discussion—it’s a call to action. We must challenge outdated practices and embrace innovative sanitation solutions as a fundamental component of human rights, environmental protection, and sustainable economic growth.”
Currently, over 65 million people in Bangladesh lack access to safe sanitation. Experts at the conference emphasized that to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the current pace of progress in sanitation must increase by at least eightfold.
The conference is organized by the Gates Foundation, Kimberly-Clark, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
