Set up disability-friendly toilets: Activists

Development activists at a discussion yesterday urged the authorities concerned to set up disability-friendly toilets aiming to ensure the rights of people with disabilities, reports UNB. They said most of the toilets installed in the country are not suitable for use by the physically-challenged people, causing sufferings to them. ADD International Bangladesh, Freshwater Action Network South-Asia Bangladesh and Bangla daily Bhorier Kagoj jointly arranged the discussion, tiled ‘Sustainable Water and Sanitation for Men and Women with Disability’ at the conference hall of Bhorier Kagoj in the capital.
Chief engineer of the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) Md Wali Ullah said about 99 percent of people have access to sanitation in the country in one way or the other, but there is no specific data on the disabled people’s access to sanitation.
He emphasised setting up of different types of toilets using technology for different types of people with disabilities. Saying that this is very difficult to ensure sanitation for those with disabilities living in hard-to-reach areas, the DPHE chief engineer said the authorities concerned should give priority to the sanitation facility of the physically-challenged people. WASH Alliance Alok Majumder said the disabled have limited access to toilets at schools, colleges and other public institutions, and their access to toilets must be ensured. About 86 percent of WASH allocation given in the national budget goes to urban people, he said but most of the people with disabilities live in rural areas.
“So, water and sanitation investment must be increased in rural areas.” Practical Action Bangladesh country director Hasin Jahan said toilet types should be designed according to the types of disability so that they can use toilet easily.
She said customisation of latrine design to address specific needs of the disability types and person concerned is the principle of designing disability friendly latrines.
ADD International country director Shafiqul Islam, NGO Forum executive director SMA Rashid and WaterAid programme officer Mahfuj-ur-Rahman, among others, spoke at the discussion.

Set up disability-friendly toilets: Activists

Development activists at a discussion yesterday urged the authorities concerned to set up disability-friendly toilets aiming to ensure the rights of people with disabilities, reports UNB. They said most of the toilets installed in the country are not suitable for use by the physically-challenged people, causing sufferings to them. ADD International Bangladesh, Freshwater Action Network South-Asia Bangladesh and Bangla daily Bhorier Kagoj jointly arranged the discussion, tiled Sustainable Water and Sanitation for Men and Women with Disability at the conference hall of Bhorier Kagoj in the capital. Chief engineer of the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) Md Wali Ullah said about 99 percent of people have access to sanitation in the country in one way or the other, but there is no specific data on the disabled peoples access to sanitation. He emphasised setting up of different types of toilets using technology for different types of people with disabilities. Saying that this is very difficult to ensure sanitation for those with disabilities living in hard-to-reach areas, the DPHE chief engineer said the authorities concerned should give priority to the sanitation facility of the physically-challenged people. WASH Alliance Alok Majumder said the disabled have limited access to toilets at schools, colleges and other public institutions, and their access to toilets must be ensured. About 86 percent of WASH allocation given in the national budget goes to urban people, he said but most of the people with disabilities live in rural areas. So, water and sanitation investment must be increased in rural areas. Practical Action Bangladesh country director Hasin Jahan said toilet types should be designed according to the types of disability so that they can use toilet easily. She said customisation of latrine design to address specific needs of the disability types and person concerned is the principle of designing disability friendly latrines. ADD International country director Shafiqul Islam, NGO Forum executive director SMA Rashid and WaterAid programme officer Mahfuj-ur-Rahman, among others, spoke at the discussion.