Bangladesh: Rural Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Human Capital Development Project

approved

The Project will be co-financed with the World Bank (WB) and has the following six components: Component 1: Investments in water supply. (i) Investments in large piped water schemes to support water scarce communities of 300-700 households; (ii) Investments in small piped water schemes to support water scarce communities of 30-40 households; (iii) Household water facility improvements through household loans from Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs); (iv) Provision of MFI loans to local water entrepreneurs; and (v) Feasibility studies in high climate risk regions to identify sources for drinking water and examine technological options and their financial viability in Southern Bangladesh. Component 2: Investments in sanitation and hygiene. (i) Investments in sanitation and hygiene facilities in high pedestrian traffic locations, community health clinics, and other public spaces; (ii) Investments in sanitation and hygiene facilities for households such as two-pit latrines and hand-washing stations; (iii) Provision of MFI loans to local sanitation and hygiene entrepreneurs to expand their businesses and offer them training on proper installation and maintenance; (iv) Promotion of innovative water and sanitation technologies, especially in fecal sludge management; (v) Behavioral change communication (BCC) campaign to carry out activities to change water, sanitation and hygiene behaviors and raise awareness and willingness to pay. Component 3: Institutional strengthening. (i) Support for drafting policy documents that would be critical in implementing the newly drafted National Strategy for Water Supply and Sanitation; and (ii) Capacity building for targeted central and local government officials working in the sector. Component 4: Project implementation and management. Support for key project management activities enabling the implementing agencies to coordinate and implement the proposed Project. Component 5: COVID-19 emergency response. Provision of quick, just-in-time water and sanitation services, where needed, to cope with the fast changing COVID-19 situation. Component 6: Contingent emergency response. Provisional zero amount component to allow for rapid reallocation of loan proceeds from other project components during an emergency.