Date: 11/08/2025
Location: Bangakha Union, Laxmipur Sadar Upazilla, Laxmipur
Conduction By: Animation Liberate For Organize (ALO)
Report By: Kazi Altaf Mahmood
Executive Summary
This report assesses the acute water and sanitation challenges faced by residents in Bangakha Union No. 6, South Sadar Upazila, Laxmipur District, Bangladesh, based on a community interview conducted as part of “The People’s Voice” series. The area, characterized by poor infrastructure and remote access, suffers from a severe lack of clean drinking water and basic sanitation facilities, affecting multiple families. Key needs identified include the installation of a deep tube well for safe water access and sanitation facilities (e.g., toilets) to address health and hygiene risks. These issues align with broader regional flooding and water scarcity problems in Laxmipur, as well as national challenges in Bangladesh, where approximately 20-30% of the population lacks access to safely managed drinking water due to contamination and infrastructure gaps. Nationally, sanitation coverage has improved but remains inadequate in rural areas, contributing to health burdens like diarrheal diseases.
The assessment employed qualitative interviews and draws on global reports from organizations such as the World Bank, UNICEF, and WHO to contextualize findings. A Logical Framework Approach (LFA) outlines a structured intervention path, recommending immediate installation of water and sanitation infrastructure. Resource requirements total approximately 53,703 BDT (444 USD), including 18,225 BDT for a deep tube well and 35,478 BDT for sanitation facilities, based on converted costs at an exchange rate of 1 USD = 121.5 BDT. Implementation could benefit up to 20-30 families, reducing health risks and aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
1. Families’ Needs
The interviewed household in Bangakha Union represents a microcosm of the broader community’s struggles, where multiple families share limited resources amid environmental and infrastructural constraints. Munni Akter, the interviewee, highlighted that six families reside in her house alone, with no on-site water supply or sanitation facilities. Water is sourced from distant locations, posing daily hardships, especially for women and children. Beyond the immediate household, Akter noted that a clean water system would benefit “many families” in the vicinity, estimating 20-30 based on similar rural clusters in water-scarce areas. Additional needs include sanitation improvements, as the lack of toilets exacerbates hygiene issues, leading to open defecation risks and associated health problems.
1.2 Methodology for Family-Level Data (Interview)
Data at the family level was gathered through a semi-structured, in-person interview conducted by Mahbubur Rashid as part of “The People’s Voice” series. The interview targeted Munni Akter, a resident of the affected household, using open-ended questions to explore water sourcing, sanitation challenges, prior interventions, and potential benefits of solutions. This qualitative approach allowed for contextual insights into daily lives, with responses transcribed verbatim for accuracy. No quantitative surveys were conducted due to the episodic nature of the visit, but the method aligns with participatory needs assessments recommended by UNICEF for rural WASH evaluations. Limitations include reliance on a single respondent, though her account reflects common rural experiences in Bangladesh.
2. Regional and National History of the Issue and Need
2.1 Regional Context
Laxmipur District, located in southeastern Bangladesh, faces recurrent water crises exacerbated by its coastal geography, heavy rainfall, and flooding. Over 300 villages have been isolated due to floods, leading to acute shortages of drinking water, as reported in 2024 incidents where residents cried out for potable supplies amid waterlogging. In Bangakha Union specifically, poor communication infrastructure and remote village settings compound issues like groundwater salinity and contamination, common in the region. Historical floods, such as those in August 2024, affecting 600,000 people, have disrupted access, with slow receding waters leaving communities stranded. No government grants or visits have addressed these in the interviewed area, highlighting neglect in remote zones.
2.2 National Context
Bangladesh has made strides in WASH since the 1990s, with sanitation coverage rising from 20% to over 60% by 2020, yet gaps persist, particularly in rural areas where 34% of households lack safe water at the point of consumption due to contamination. Arsenic contamination affects 20 million people, and inadequate sanitation contributes to economic losses of USD 4.2 billion annually from health impacts. UNICEF reports that while 98% have basic water access, quality issues like bacterial contamination affect urban and rural populations alike. The World Bank’s WASH Poverty Diagnostic emphasizes that poor households bear disproportionate burdens, with diarrheal diseases causing 17% of child deaths.
2.3 Alignment of Needs
The local needs in Bangakha Union—safe water via deep tube wells and basic toilets—directly align with national priorities under Bangladesh’s National Strategy for Water Supply and Sanitation, which targets universal access by 2030. These interventions address SDG 6 gaps, reducing contamination risks noted in World Bank studies. Regionally, they complement flood response efforts, as seen in Laxmipur’s 2024 crises, by providing resilient infrastructure.
3. Methodology
The overall methodology combined primary data from the field interview with secondary analysis of global and national reports. The interview followed a participatory format, focusing on lived experiences without prior applications for aid. Secondary sources were sourced from reputable organizations (e.g., World Bank, UNICEF) via targeted searches for WASH data in Bangladesh. Data triangulation ensured validity, with costs converted using current exchange rates (1 USD = 121.5 BDT as of August 2025). Ethical considerations included obtaining verbal consent and anonymizing details where needed.
4. Needs Assessment Findings
4.1 Key Needs
- Clean Water Access: Residents fetch water from distant sources, with no local supply, leading to time loss and health risks.
- Sanitation Facilities: Absence of toilets results in open defecation, increasing disease vulnerability, especially for women.
- Infrastructure Support: A deep tube well and toilet would serve 20-30 families, addressing immediate hygiene and water needs.
4.2 Existing Resources and Gaps
Existing resources are minimal: no government grants, tube wells, or toilets in the household or nearby. Gaps include poor road access hindering aid delivery and lack of prior assessments. Globally, similar rural gaps in Bangladesh lead to 1.8 million disability-adjusted life years lost annually from WASH-related issues.
5. Logical Framework Approach (LFA)
| Level | Description | Indicators | Means of Verification | Assumptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | Improve health and well-being through enhanced WASH access in Bangakha Union. | Reduced incidence of waterborne diseases by 50% within one year. | Health clinic records; WHO/UNICEF surveys. | Community cooperation and no major floods. |
| Purpose | Provide sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation for 20-30 families. | Facilities are maintained locally. | Post-installation surveys; usage logs. | Site assessment, procurement, installation, community training. |
| Outputs | 1. One deep tube well installed. 2. Sanitation facilities (toilets) built for shared use. | Tube well operational; toilets constructed and functional. | Site inspections; beneficiary feedback. | Materials available at estimated costs. |
| Activities/Inputs | Site assessment, procurement, installation, and community training. | Budget: 53,703 BDT; Timeline: 3 months. | Financial reports; training attendance. | Funding secured; no delays in permits. |
This LFA draws from World Bank frameworks for rural WASH projects.
6. Recommendations
- Install a deep tube well immediately to serve multiple families, prioritizing arsenic-free designs as per national guidelines.
- Construct shared sanitation facilities (e.g., hygienic toilets) to eliminate open defecation, incorporating low-cost models from UNICEF initiatives.
- Engage local government for grants and monitoring, aligning with the Rural Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene for Human Capital Development Project.
- Conduct community training on maintenance to ensure sustainability.
- Scale up assessments to adjacent villages, using flood-resilient technologies.
7. Resource Requirements
- Deep Tube Well: 150 USD (18,225 BDT at 1 USD = 121.5 BDT). This covers drilling, materials, and installation for a 150-200 ft well, comparable to costs in similar rural projects (e.g., 260-500 USD per well).
- Sanitation Facilities (Toilet): 292 USD (35,478 BDT). This includes the construction of a basic hygienic latrine for shared use, aligned with affordable models costing 50-125 USD in rural Bangladesh.
- Total: 444 USD (53,703 BDT), plus 10% contingency for logistics (e.g., transport in remote areas).
- Additional: Community labor (in-kind) and monitoring (5,000 BDT).
References:
- World Bank. (2017). Towards a Cleaner Bangladesh: Safe Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene for All.
- UNICEF. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Bangladesh.
- WHO/UNICEF. (2012). Economic Impacts of Inadequate Sanitation in Bangladesh.
- World Bank. (2018). A Diagnostic of Water Supply, Sanitation, Hygiene, and Poverty in Bangladesh.
- World Bank. (2020). Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, and Nutrition in Bangladesh.
- World Bank. (2020). Bangladesh Rural Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene for Human Capital Development Project.
