Bangladesh may need 75 years to ensure safe water for all

Despite progress in water supply, eliminating open defecation, and sanitation coverage, over 40 per cent of Bangladesh population still lacks access to safe water.

In the past decade, progress in this area has been only around 3 per cent. At this current pace, it could take another 75 years to ensure safe water for everyone.

In comparison, India and Bhutan are on track to provide safe water to all within the next 25 years. Pakistan, on the other hand, is significantly behind Bangladesh in terms of safe water access.

The Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) by UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO) released these findings earlier this month.

The JMP report, published every two years, reviews the status of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) across UN member states.

Under the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) from 2000 to 2015, the target was to ensure water access for all.

According to the JMP report, about 99 per cent of people in Bangladesh currently have access to drinking water, up from 97 per cent in 2015.

However, under the more ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), countries must ensure safe drinking water for everyone by 2030.

Commenting on the report, economist Hossain Zillur Rahman told Prothom Alo, “Access to water and access to safe water are not the same.

We became complacent with our MDG achievements, and that complacency continues. The SDG targets are much more challenging, and we are failing to show the necessary capacity to meet them—especially when it comes to safe water.”

Safe water refers to water that is: Easily accessible from a source located on one’s own premises or nearby, available whenever needed and free from fecal contamination and harmful chemical pollutants.
This definition is a core part of SDG 6.1, which focuses on universal access to safe and affordable drinking water.

According to the JMP report, unsafe water in Bangladesh is largely contaminated with fecal bacteria such as E. coli. Additionally, around 60 districts in the country are affected by arsenic contamination. Taking these factors into account, only 59 per cent of the population currently has access to safe drinking water—up slightly from 56 per cent in 2015.

In January this year, several students at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) fell ill after drinking water on campus.

The situation became so concerning that many students left their dormitories and returned home. They reported that their academic activities were disrupted for several days due to the water issue. At the time, BUET vice-chancellor Abu Borhan Mohammad Badruzzaman acknowledged the water contamination problem.

Contamination of drinking water at such a prestigious institution sparked widespread concern. But BUET is not alone—fecal contamination is present in piped water supplies across many parts of the country. Cities like Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Narayanganj, and Khulna have water supplied by WASA, yet even this water is often not safe for consumption. These issues contribute to Bangladesh’s low rate of access to safe water.

The JMP report states: “The biggest barrier to safe water access in Bangladesh is water quality. In 44 out of the country’s 64 districts, less than half the population uses high-quality water that is available within their homes, accessible whenever needed, and free from contamination.”
What is the situation across South Asia?

Among South Asian countries, India has made the most progress in safe water access over the past decade. Currently, 76 per cent of India’s population has access to safe drinking water, up from 61 per cent in 2015.
In Bhutan, the figure stands at 66 per cent, a significant increase from 47 per cent in 2015.

At the other end, Nepal lags behind, with only 16 per cent of the population having access to safe water.

Pakistan has seen almost no progress, with 45 per cent of its population currently having access to safe water, compared to 44 per cent a decade ago.

Hasin Jahan, the Bangladesh country director of the international organisation WaterAid, told Prothom Alo: “The biggest driving force behind the progress in India and Bhutan is political prioritisation. India's 'Swachh Bharat' (Clean India) campaign was a government priority. Nepal, on the other hand, has set a target to provide tap water to every household by 2041. Bangladesh, through political will, was able to significantly reduce open defecation, a major achievement. But, without similar political commitment, no real progress can be made in ensuring safe water in Bangladesh.”

While progress in water access has been slow—just 0.3 per cent per year over the past decade—the sanitation sector has seen somewhat faster improvement, with an average annual growth rate of 1.1 per cent.

However, at this rate, Bangladesh will not achieve universal sanitation coverage before 2083. In contrast, Nepal is projected to reach that goal by 2049, and India by 2041.

The JMP report also highlights that while sanitation coverage has improved in Bangladesh, nearly 56 million people still lack access to basic sanitation facilities, and about 20 million people live without basic handwashing amenities.