The UK Department for International Development (DFID) and UNICEF will support the Government of Bangladesh in reaching 30 million people with improved sanitation and safe drinking water.

The Bangladesh Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) and UNICEF will jointly implement the Sanitation, Hygiene Education and Water Supply in Bangladesh (SHEWA-B) project from 2007-2011 at a cost of US$ 89 million (EUR 68 million) of which DFID will contribute US$ 62.8 million (EUR 48.2 million).

Around 5.1 million poorest people will get access to safe water, 1.5 million school children will achieve safe water and improved sanitation and 4.5 million children will receive hygiene education.

The first phase of SHEWA-B will cover 60 upazilas as well as 300 paras (neighbourhoods) in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). The second phase adds 44 upazilas and 300 paras in CHT. The programme will also cover slum areas.

With 30 million people receiving improved sanitation, coverage will increase to almost 70 %. Safe drinking water coverage will increase to 79 % and arsenic risks will be reduced.

Contact: Iftikhar Ahmed Chowdhury, UNICEF Bangladesh, e-mail

Source:UNICEF, 23 Jan 2007

Tags: sanitation, urban wash, water distribution