Water and Sanitation
Country Program:
Ground water in many areas of Bangladesh has been reported as contaminated by arsenic. The Australian-funded Regional Arsenic Mitigation Program contributed to the prevention of arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India through the following :
• making provision of safe and clean water options sustainable and acceptable to Bangladesh communities; and community education and capacity building on arsenic, hygiene and health;
• relevant applied arsenic research;
• health epidemiology to assess the social and health costs of exposure to arsenic contamination; and
• research on the possibility of arsenic contamination in crops and food.
The Bangladesh projects have been implemented by GHD Pty Ltd and the Australian National University with Dhaka Community Hospital and the NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation respectively.
• Contribution - A $4 million (for three projects)
• Duration - 2001-2005
• Contractor: GHD Pty Ltd and ANU (for the two Bangladesh Projects)
Regional Program:
With financial assistance from Australia, World Bank’s regional Water Sanitation Program-South Asia (WSP-SA) promotes sharing of learning between SAARC countries in the areas of water and sanitation. In Bangladesh the project will support coordination with sector development partners and the GoB; and build capacity of local government and service provider/sponsors.
• Contribution A $ 3 million
• Duration: 2003 - 2006
• Contractor: World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program South Asia (WSPSA)