DHAKA, Dec 2, 2021 (BSS) - Local Government, Rural Development, and 
Cooperatives (LGRD) Minister Md Tazul Islam today said the government is 
taking up long-term plan for utilizing internal water sources for removing 
the scarcity of drinking water.

   "Survey work is going on for the formulation of the master plan to set up 
water grid line for supplying pure drinking water across the country 
including the coastal region," he said.

   Tazul was addressing a function arranged by ITN-BUET titled "expansion of 
inclusive sanitation across the city and innovation of sanitation" at Council 
Bhaban of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) here.

   He said the government has different initiatives for ensuring advanced 
lifestyle for people including ensuring of water and sanitation facilities.

   To build a developed and prosperous country by 2041, many pre-requisites 
of the United Nations should be filled-up side by side with economic uplift, 
he mentioned.

   The minister said economic zones are being established in the country 
where there would be many factories and industries and huge water will be 
needed.

   If required measures are not taken now, there will be crisis of water in 
future, he added.

   Mentioning that Chattogram WASA is going to set up a new water treatment 
plant, Tazul said Dhaka WASA and other WASA set up many water treatment 
plants for removing the water crisis in the country.

   Besides, Public Health Engineering Department is working relentlessly for 
ensuring water and sanitation facilities for marginal people, he said.

   Noting that new door has been open for generating power from waste in the 
country, he said all types of wastes including household and medical wastes 
should be dumped in specified places and everyone should be conscious about 
conservation of environment. 

   Tazul said many houses in Dhaka city don't have own septic tank and they 
connect sewerage line directly with lake or canal.

     Campaign should be conducted to make people aware to this end, he said. 

   The minister said actions would be taken if the house owner don't build 
own septic tank within fixed time.

   BUET Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Dr Satya Prasad Majumder chaired 
function while Local Government Division Senior Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed 
and BUET Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Abdul Jabbar Khan were present as special 
guests. 

  LGED Chief Engineer Md Abdur Rashid Khan, Public Health Engineering 
Department Chief Engineer Md Saifur Rahman and Dhaka WASA Managing Director 
Taksim A Khan were present among others.