Faecal sludge management for sustainable sanitation

• Episode guest: Ishrat Shabnam – Country Director, Practical Action in Bangladesh
• Episode host: Alauddin Ahmed – Project Manager, ITN-BUET

In Bangladesh, waste and sanitation workers play a critical role in keeping cities clean and safe. However, they are often among the most marginalised. Many work in unsafe conditions without contracts, fair wages, or legal protection. Most are informal workers with no access to health benefits or safety gear. Women waste workers face even greater challenges, including harassment, low pay, and a lack of basic facilities.

This episode explores their daily struggles and the gaps in labour laws and policies. It highlights the roles of government, NGOs, and the private sector in ensuring better protection and fair treatment. We also look at ways to bring different actors together to improve working conditions and promote dignity for all sanitation workers in Bangladesh.

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• Episode guest: Uttam Kumar Saha – Country Manager in Bangladesh, Water and Sanitation for Urban Populations (WSUP)
• Episode host: Alauddin Ahmed – Project Manager, ITN-BUET

In Bangladesh, sanitation workers are often labelled with derogatory terms that carry deep social stigma and strip them of dignity. Whether formally employed by municipalities or working informally without protection, these workers face hazardous conditions, unstable incomes, and limited opportunities to change their profession.
This episode takes a closer look at the daily realities of sanitation workers, including manual pit emptying, lack of safety gear, and widespread social exclusion. It pays special attention to the unique challenges faced by women in the sector, who often work under even tougher and more unsafe conditions. We explore how improved policies, access to technology, skills training, and stronger community support can transform sanitation work into a safer and more respected profession. The discussion also highlights the important roles local governments, cooperatives, and citizens can play in ensuring sanitation workers receive fair treatment, protection, and recognition.

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• Episode guest: Md Tahmidul Islam – Director, Technical Service, WaterAid Bangladesh
• Episode host: Alauddin Ahmed – Project Manager, ITN-BUET

Across Bangladesh, thousands of waste and sanitation workers carry out essential yet hazardous jobs that keep our cities clean and healthy. Despite their vital contributions, many, especially those working informally, lack access to basic social protections such as health insurance, income support, or accident coverage. This leaves them and their families vulnerable to financial hardship when faced with illness, injury, or emergencies.

This episode explores the urgent need to close the social protection gap for these workers. It highlights the important roles of the Government of Bangladesh, municipalities, private companies, and the insurance sector in developing inclusive, affordable, and accessible insurance schemes. The discussion covers innovative approaches like microinsurance and the potential to use corporate social responsibility funds to extend coverage to informal workers.

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• Episode guest: Dilruba Farzana – Deputy Project Director, Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE)
• Episode host: K. A. Amin – Knowledge Management Specialist, ITN-BUET

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. The UN’s SDG 6 Synthesis Report 2023 highlights that while some advancements have been made, significant challenges persist and there is a critical need for robust capacity building at all levels to accelerate progress and achieve SDG 6.2 by 2030.

In this episode, we explore the urgent need to empower governments, communities, and organisations with the knowledge and tools they need to overcome these challenges. The discussion covers training for sanitation professionals, strengthening institutions and policies, improving data systems, boosting financial planning, and engaging communities in decision making. We also look at how capacity building can address rapid urbanisation and climate change, making sanitation systems more resilient and inclusive. This discussion is all about how effective capacity building looks like and how collaboration between all stakeholders can accelerate progress toward safe sanitation for everyone in Bangladesh.

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• Episode guest: Khondkar Morshed Millat – Faculty Member, Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM)
• Episode host: Alauddin Ahmed – Project Manager, ITN-BUET

As Bangladesh shifts toward a greener and more climate-resilient future, financing for sanitation and waste management is becoming increasingly important. Guided by Bangladesh Bank’s initiatives and global frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals and the Principles for Responsible Banking, green finance is gaining momentum. Yet, awareness, access, and implementation remain limited. Small businesses, informal workers, and local authorities in the sanitation sector often lack the support, information, and financial tools they need.
This episode explores how green and sustainable finance can help scale up sanitation and circular economy solutions in Bangladesh. It looks into current policies, innovative financing models, and the roles of banks, development partners, municipalities, and entrepreneurs in building a more inclusive and effective system. The conversation also highlights how sanitation-related enterprises, waste workers, and climate-affected communities can access funding and take part in a just green transition.

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• Episode guest: Md. Tanvir Ahamed Chowdhury – Business Advisor, SNV
• Episode host: Samia Anwar Rafa – Technical Officer, WaterAid Bangladesh

Bangladesh has made significant strides in sanitation, but the health and safety of sanitation workers remain a major concern. Many workers, including pit emptiers and waste handlers, labour without adequate protection, training, or access to healthcare, leaving them vulnerable to illness and injury. Tragically, some have lost their lives while carrying out these essential duties. A large number of sanitation workers belong to marginalised communities such as the Horijon and Dalit, and often lack formal employment rights, insurance, or social security. Although the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 contains provisions for worker safety, enforcement within this sector is limited.

This episode sheds light on the challenges these workers face and highlights the work of NGOs and networks like the FSM Network in improving safety and dignity. It explores practical solutions and the responsibilities of government, private sector and civil society in ensuring safer working environments for sanitation workers across Bangladesh.

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• Episode guest: Fariduzzaman Shapon – Project Manager, Practical Action in Bangladesh
• Episode host: Samia Anwar Rafa – Technical Officer, WaterAid Bangladesh

With rapid urbanisation in Bangladesh, over 30% of the population now lives in urban areas, but sanitation infrastructure often struggles to keep pace. While toilet access has improved, most households still rely on on-site sanitation systems like pit latrines and septic tanks. This makes effective faecal sludge management (FSM) vital for public health and environmental protection. Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs) are emerging as a key solution for treating waste from these systems. However, many FSTPs face challenges in operation, sustainability, and impact due to technical, financial, and institutional barriers.

In this episode, we explore the pressing issues affecting FSTPs in Bangladesh. We discuss human resource constraints, equipment problems, funding shortages, and weak regulation. The conversation highlights practical innovations in technology and financing, including modular systems and public-private partnerships, as well as the importance of better coordination among municipalities, private operators, and communities.

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