City Corporations should ensure quality public toilets

Demonstration by 11 public health and environmental organizations

To consider urban citizen’s health and environment of city, all city corporations should ensure public toilets each of public places with free of cost for people. However, there should be safe, separate and comfortable toilet for children, women and physically challenged people. Then only state can ensure equity and dignity of women to reduce sanitation related harassment of women.

Green and public activist demanded separate toilet system for women in a demonstration in front of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) building at Gulistan. On the occasion of UN World Toilet Day (19 November 2014) celebration; this demonstration jointly organized by 11 environmental and public health organizations including Poribesh Bachao Andolon (POBA), NGO Forum for Public Health and Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust.

In addition of this, during this demonstration program in front of DSCC; a delegation team led by renowned environmentalist and Founder of environmental movement in Bangladesh, Mr. Abu Naser Khan met with Md. Anser Ali Khan, Chief Executive of DSCC.

Abu Naser Khan requested to DSCC for ensure public toilet for women and physically challenged people each of public places at Dhaka.  Md. Anser Ali Khan confirmed delegation team to consider demand by the activists and will take necessary step to ensure safe and separate public toilet for women in particular.

During demonstration presided by Hafizur Rahman Moyna; Chairman of Nagorik Odhikar Songrokkon Forum (NASOF), and moderated by Ziaur Rahman Litu, project officer of WBB Trust. Renowned Environmentalist Abu Naser Khan; Chairman of POBA, Advocate Syed Mahbubul Alam; Director of WBB Trust, Joseph Hawalader; Chief of Advocacy Cell of NGO Forum for Public Health, Ifma Hossian; Secretary General of PEACE, Md. Musa; President of Debidar Ghat Samaj Kolyan Songsod, Advocate Nirupoma; Secretary of Bangladesh Open Labor Organization and Md. Mahbul Haque; Executive Director of BCHRD were spoke.

Environmentalist Abu Naser Khan said that; as per POBA observation; most of public toilets are not secured for women. Inside of public toilets are not clean, no enough lights; often water crisis are regular incidence. So this weakness should notice by city authority.

Advocate Syed Mahbubul Alam said; it is legal obligation for City Corporation to ensure public toilet for citizen at city areas.