Sector Development Plan (FY 2011-25) - Water Supply and Sanitation Sector in Bangladesh

The Sector Development Plan (SDP) provides a framework for planning, implementing, coordinating and monitoring all activities in the Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) sector. The document contains 7 chapter: 1. Introduction; 2. Status of Water Supply and Sanitation; 3. Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Thematic Areas; 4. Legislations, Policies and Strategies; 5. Sector Capacity Building; 6. Sector Investment Plan; 7. SDP Implementation.
Chapter 1 provides a brief background and country context. It acknowledges the sector stakeholders and identifies the institutional framework, legal instruments, policies and strategies relating to the WSS sector. It also lays down the object, scope and the Three‐step Planning Approach adopted under the SDP. Chapter 2 presents a historical background and the challenges of defining and assessing the coverage of the WSS sector due to lack of reliable data. The technical aspects, service levels and coverage figures of the urban and rural subsectors are elaborated, the related issues identified and action points are presented. Chapter 3 analyzes some water supply and sanitation sector‐specific themes such as Surface Water and Groundwater Resource Management, Water Quality, Arsenic Mitigation and Water Safety Plan. It also looks at cross-cutting themes such as Hygiene Promotion, Vulnerable Groups, Public‐Private Partnership, Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Management and R&D. The Chapter lays down recommendations and action points to tackle the issues and challenges in each theme. Chapter 4 further analyses the existing legal framework, policies, strategies and plans in the light of their appropriateness for the effective governance of the WSS sector and for achieving the objectives of the SDP. The document identifies preparation of new legislations, policies and strategies and the amendments to the existing ones.
Chapter 5 details out the structure, functions and capacity building plans for the Local Government Division and the various organizations under it such as the line agencies, WASAs, City Corporations, Paurashavas and the Union Parishad. Chapter 6 presents the investment required for implementing the SDP. For the purpose of investment calculation, the urban and the rural subsectors are divided into 19 different geographical and hydro‐geological planning areas. Factors such as population projections, technology options, water quality standards and unit cost are considered for the calculations. The sources of funding include the government and development partners, WSS utilities like WASAs, community cost‐sharing, private households, private enterprises and NGOs. Chapter 7 provides for the institutional arrangements and the modalities of SDP implementation. Some crucial initial activities are identified which include establishing the acts and a regulatory regime, improving policies and strategies, and setting up a coordination mechanism. A road map for the SDP implementation schedule is prepared. At the end, the risks of SDP implementation and mitigation measures are provided.