Status and Constraints of Safe Water and Hygienic Sanitation Program: A Study of Five Villages of Batiaghata Thana, Khulna, Bangladesh

Abstract

Immense importance of safe water and hygienic sanitation has instigated the United Nations to declare 1981-1990 as the “International Drinking Water Supply And Sanitation decade”. Giving proper response with the global community, Bangladesh has launched a pragmatic program for ensuring safe water and hygienic sanitation in the early `90s. During 1981-1992, the decadal progress of the nation-wide program had been very slow. After 1992 it has gained momentum with the increased involvement of NGO’s and other international agencies. But the progress is not uniform throughout the country due to some limiting factors. Specially, in the remote rural areas of southern Bangladesh, the program is yet to reach its target. This paper has identified the erroneous service delivery mechanism, lack of health awareness of the rural people along with others couple of factor as the prime impediments in the way of program expansion in the study villages of Batiaghgata thana of Khulna districts. Lastly, it puts forward some recommendations to make the program a success in the study area.