Modern public toilet inaugurated at Kamalapur railway station

A modern and inclusive public toilet was inaugurated to provide safe and hygiene facilities to passengers, focusing on women, children, and people with disabilities at the capital’s Kamalapur railway station on Tuesday.

Md. Nurul Islam Sujan, MP, minister of railways, was present as the chief guest and inaugurated the public toilet, has said a press release.

The newly-built toilet is equipped with a separate chamber for males and females, lockers, hand washing points, shower, safe drinking water facility, 24x7 electricity, CCTV camera positioned outside, professional cleaner and female caretakers.

To make the public toilet more environment-friendly, the toilet is using renewable energy sources through solar power system. The facility has also installed Rainwater Harvesting System (RHS) as a sustainable alternative source of water.

Besides, the toilet consists of a breastfeeding chamber for lactating mothers to offer them safety and convenience in public. The user-friendly public toilet has been constructed through a collaboration between WaterAid and Bangladesh Railways.

Md. Salim Reza, secretary of ministry of railways, Md Jahangir Hossain, general manager, Bangladesh Railways (East Zone), Suzanne Mueller, head of cooperation and deputy head of mission at the embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, and Hasin Jahan, country director of WaterAid Bangladesh, joined the programme as special guests. Dhirendra Nath Mazumder, director-general of Bangladesh Railways, chaired the inauguration event.

Md. Nurul Islam Sujan said, "Our next target is to set up two more public toilets of the same standard at Panchagarh and Ishwardi railway stations, which we hope will be inaugurated next year. WaterAid Bangladesh is providing financial and technical support to our work, for which I am thankful to them."

Hasin Jahan, country director of WaterAid said, "WaterAid is taking initiatives for making public toilets more innovative and multi-purpose with high standard hygiene facilities across the country. We hope the public toilet in Kamalapur is another step forward to mitigate the crisis for decent public toilets for passengers, giving special attention to women and girls."