The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Denmark will provide US$ 4.8 million for a new two and half years project for improvements of the rural water supply in the three districts of Rajshahi, Chapainawabgonj and Naogaon.

The project will assist in designing and constructing 200 piped rural water supply schemes for a population of around 400,000 people.

In this regard, Denmark embassy and Bangladesh government have agreed to extend assistance to the Barind Multi-purpose Development Authority (BMDA) for support to piped rural water supply in the northwestern region of Bangladesh.

The overall objective of the support to BMDA is to contribute to the provision of safe rural water supply combined with environmental sanitation and hygiene in the northwestern region of Bangladesh, said a Danish Embassy press release yesterday.

The project will be financed through the HYSAWA Fund, which is an autonomous company established under the Companies Act 1994. The Fund has been established to provide financial support to decentralised rural water supply and sanitation in direct cooperation with the Union Parishads and local partner organisations.

As an autonomous organisation from 1995, BMDA has obtained a mandate from GoB to utilise their deep tube wells to provide safe drinking water to nearby villages. BMDA has so far developed more than 300 water supply systems in cooperation with local authorities and communities.

"We hope that the Danish assistance will contribute to the Government' s efforts of strengthening decentralised implementation and management of rural water supply and sanitation in cooperation with Union Parishads and BMDA," Jan Møller Hansen, Chargé d'Affaires of Danish embassy, said.

He continues: "With the increasing population density, also in rural areas, and localised water quality problems, we are keen to support community-based piped water supply schemes in rural areas of Bangladesh. We are looking forward to this new partnership with the HYSAWA Fund, BMDA and local Union Parishads and communities."

The project will be implemented by BMDA and overall responsibility for monitoring and evaluation of the project will be with the HYSAWA Fund Management office.

Danida will provide an amount of US$ 4.2 million for piped rural water supply and US$ 0.4 million for water resource management from its unallocated budget under Water Sector Programme supported by GoB and Denmark.