DHAKA, Oct 14, 2023 (BSS) -The Global Hand Washing Day will be observed in the country tomorrow as elsewhere in the world in a befitting manner with the theme 'Clean Hands Are Within Reach'.

Each year on October 15, the Global Hand Washing Day is observed to remind people about the importance of hand hygiene to health.

Various government and non- government organizations including Local Government Division under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives have taken up extensive programmes in the country marking the day.

The national dailies will publish special articles highlighting the importance of the day.
 
Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and private radio stations and TV channels will air special programmes on this day.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in separate messages, today said the observance of the 'Global Handwashing Day 2023' will help create mass awareness and improve sanitation system in the country.
 
They wished success of all programmes of the hand-washing day.

The President, in his message, said that the construction of improved sanitary latrines, public and community toilets suitable for use by all classes of people are being constructed to ensure hygienic sanitation for all.

Besides, wash-blocks, water sources and hand washing basins in primary schools are being ensured with the aim of inculcating hygiene and health protection habits among teenagers, the head of the state added.

It has been possible to increase the national coverage of sanitation to 99 per cent in the last 14 years, he said.

Bangladesh has achieved significant success in achieving the 'Millennium Development Goals' of Sanitation which has been widely appreciated in the international arena, he said.

In addition, due to the implementation of awareness activities to achieve sustainable development goals, it has been possible to prevent the deadly corona virus infection in Bangladesh, the President continued.

In order to achieve the 'sustainable development goal' by the year 2030, public and private institutions and development agencies should play an active role in creating public awareness about proper sanitation, waste management and hygiene rules across the country, Shahabuddin hoped.

In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the government has been working tirelessly for the development of public health since assuming power in 2009.
 
In the last 14 years, 53 projects have been implemented through the Department of Public Health Engineering at a cost of about 15 thousand crores, the premier added.

Construction of 62,000 wash blocks at 32,422 primary schools and 22,528 wash basins at about 62,000 primary schools have been constructed from 2012 to 2023 so that students can develop knowledge and habits about using safe water, sanitation and health protection from school life, she said.

"In order to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal-6, we are implementing various activities including innovation of sustainable technology and its application, development of human resources in related fields, compliance with hygiene rules, construction and use of environmentally friendly improved toilets and creating public awareness about safe sanitation and waste management," she added.

The rate of open defecation has been reduced from 44 percent in 2003 to almost zero, the premier said, adding that this success of Bangladesh has been praised in the international arena.

Modern water laboratories and waste management projects are being implemented in almost all districts of the country, she continued.
 
Sheikh Hasina believed that it will be possible to achieve the SDGs on time through the application and implementation of all these innovative and pro-people technologies.

"Our goal is to ensure safe water supply and sanitation services for all by 2030," she hoped.