Public toilet is a must for the well being of public health in a city. As there is lack of public toilets in Dhaka, people suffer from various diseases. It has a negative impact upon environment as well as economy. Public toilet should be ensured considering public health. And those public toilets should be accessible for not only men but also for women and people with disabilities. On 30^th November 2015, 13 organization including Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), Poribesh Bachao Andolon (POBA), NGO Forum for Public Health, Nirapad Development Foundation, Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust jointly organized a human chain on demand of ensuring public toilet for all and there speakers expressed the above view.

Speakers said that, more than 1 crore people go to various destinations each day for job, business, education, treatment and many other reasons. Most of them need public toilets. But Dhaka city lacks public toilet according to demand. As people are not being able to access public toilet they are suffering from various diseases including kidney diseases and they are also being forced to defecate here and there. This is resulting to environmental degradation. Women and people with disabilities do not get necessary facilities of public toilets. The existing public toilets are not safe and usable. As women are one of the major victims of lack of public toilets they are suffering from various diseases. Though 10% of the total population is people with disabilities in our country they are ignored while considering public toilet facilities.

Speakers also said that, at present there are 69 public toilets in Dhaka, which is inadequate as per demand. It will take time to build new public toilets as both Dhaka City Corporation have spatial constrain. In this circumstance, the toilets of service provider organizations and commercial organizations can be used as public ones. For example, City Corporation can take initiatives to ensure toilets of shopping complex, educational institutions, hospital, various government office, playgrounds and parks to be used as public toilets. Moreover, these public toilets should have needed facilities and security for people with disabilities and women.

The human chain was presided over Mihir Biswash, Joint Secretary, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and was moderated by Ibnul Sayeed Rana, Chairman, Nirapad Development Foundation. The speakers of the program were Hafizur Rahman Moyna, Chairman, Nagorik Odhikar Shongrokkhon Forum; Maruf Hossain, Program Manager, Ziaur Rahman, Senior Project Officer, Tanzila Chowdhury, Assistant Advocacy Officer, Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust; Shah Deepak Kumar, Officer, NGO Forum for Public Health; Amir Hossain, Executive Director, Green Mind Society; Helal Ahmed, General Secretary, Protyasha Anti-Drug Club; Md. Mahbubul Haque, Executive Director, BCHRD; Akbar Hossain, Executive Director, Swades Mrittika; Monir Hossain Nishat, Member, Mastul Foundation; Talukder Rifat Pasha; Camelia Chowdhury and many more. Besides Mannan Monir, Principal, Dhaka Ideal Cadet School, Advocate Sultan Mahmud Banna, Syeda Anonna Rahman, Program Officer, Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust were also present in the program. 

Demands from human chain: proper implementation of planning and policy regarding public toilets, ensure public use of private organization’s toilet by local government, ensure user friendly public toilets for children, women and people with disabilities in all places, put signs to easily identify public toilets, establish proper monitoring system for public toilets and ensure enforcement for the law violators.