At a joint press conference held on Monday, May 19, 2025, at the National Press Club in Dhaka, WaterAid Bangladesh voiced strong concern over the declining budget allocations for the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector, emphasising the need for equitable and inclusive investments to protect public health and advance sustainable development.

WaterAid, along with other civil society organisations and networks including PPRC, MHM Platform, FANSA, FSM Network, and Sanitation and Water for All, jointly organised the event to highlight how the declining and erratic allocations threaten the progress toward achieving SDG 6 and National Priority Targets (NPTs 17–18).

Experts underscored the critical importance of equitable, climate-resilient WASH investments that uphold citizens’ rights to safe water and sanitation. They also called for improved budget utilization and stronger focus on marginalized communities and sustainable hygiene solutions.

Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, Executive Chairperson of PPRC, pointed out that WASH sector allocations had shown steady growth since FY 2016–17 but experienced a reversal in FY 2023–24, with a 23% decline, followed by a further 22.46% cut in the proposed FY 2024–25 budget. He added that the gap between urban and rural WASH investments continues to widen, raising serious concerns about social equity.

As Bangladesh strives to meet SDG 6 targets, the dialogue reinforced the need for prioritized, inclusive, and effective funding in the WASH sector to safeguard health, dignity, and development for all.

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