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Roundtable discussion on public toilets
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On 23 February 2008, Save the
Environment Movement, with support from WBB, organized a roundtable
discussion on the need for more and better public toilets in Dhaka
City.
Public toilets are critical for
public health and the environment, as otherwise people are forced to
use the streets to relieve themselves, and women will avoid drinking
water, facing various health problems from dehydration, if they do
not have access to clean public restrooms.
At the roundtable, speakers also
mentioned the possibility of introducing separating composting
toilets as public toilets. The advantages would include reducing
pollution of rivers into which untreated sewage is dumped, gaining
benefit from access to fertilizers, and improved condition (no smell
or flies) of public toilets.
A local government official present
expressed his concern over the current situation and his commitment
to working to improve the quality and availability of public
toilets, including by restoring those which are currently not fit
for use.
At least 16 newspapers covered the event. |
