Duration: January 2023 – May 2023

Client: Water Integrity Network

Sample Size: 100 Semi-structured Questionnaire Survey, 16 KIIs, and 8 FGDs

Responsibilities: Qualitative Data Collection, Analyzing Acts and Policies, and Report writing.

Contributed to this project while working at Change Initiative

Executive Summary

In Bangladesh, a large proportion of the population lacks access to safe and reliable water sources and proper sanitation facilities, which has serious consequences for the health and well-being of the population. The situation is further compounded by factors such as population growth, urbanization, and climate change, which are putting additional pressure on the country’s already strained water and sanitation infrastructure. Studies have revealed an integrity crisis within the water and sanitation sector of Bangladesh, including allegations of corruption and irregularities. Ensuring that water-related organizations operate with integrity, transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption measures will lead to the delivery of quality and sustainable water and sanitation services to all citizens, especially the most vulnerable communities. This study aimed to examine the transparency, accountability, participation, and anti-corruption measures in the water resource management, water supply, and sanitation of Bangladesh in two phases, which provided insights into the legal framework, policies, strategies, and existing water delivery system and identified gaps and challenges that existed in the current system. The study’s findings are crucial in informing policymakers and stakeholders about the strengths and weaknesses of the existing water governance system in Bangladesh and proposing measures to address these gaps.

The study aims to review the integrity scenario of the water and sanitation sector in Bangladesh, analyze the legislative and policy framework, evaluate the current state of transparency and accountability, conduct SWOT analysis, and explore good practices for improving the water sector’s performance. The study also proposes recommendations for targeted action by relevant stakeholders to enhance governance and integrity, including gender equity and social inclusion.

A framework for evaluating the performance of the water sector’s critical functions in Bangladesh, based on the Accountability Cycle methodology is introduced in this study. It emphasizes the importance of governance and a governance-focused approach to WATSAN sector management, promoting accountability, transparency, participation, and collaboration. The methodology aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the water sector’s performance, ensuring reliable and effective services and establishing trust and credibility among stakeholders. The study adopts the internationally recognized Traffic Light system to capture the compliance and performance of governance dimensions in the water sector, using four possible scores, ranging 0 to 3, to indicate the level of performance. A 3-step process is also followed: defining the ideal functions and desired characteristics of the water sector, reviewing the De Jure governance, and reviewing the De Facto governance using online and face-to-face interviews, discussions, and observations. Each stage involves specific questions related to rules, responsibilities, performance monitoring, corrective measures, and incentives/sanctions.

The study utilizes four tools for data collection on water and sanitation services in Bangladesh. These include a comprehensive literature review and stakeholder mapping exercise, a Google Form survey, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions with water service recipients. These tools are used to gather views and opinions on the issues and challenges facing the sector and identify potential solutions.

Water and sanitation services are crucial for human health, social well-being, and economic development. In Bangladesh, the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) is responsible for providing rural water and sanitation services, while urban services are managed by different authorities such as the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA). The Bangladesh Water Act of 2013 aims to manage water resources and define the rights of people, including the right to drinking water and water for cleaning and sanitation. The legal framework governing the water and sanitation sector in Bangladesh includes various policies, plans, and acts such as the National Water Policy, National Environment Policy, and Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100. The Transparency, Accountability, Participation, and Anti-Corruption (TAPA) approach is used to ensure integrity in the sector.

The study findings reveal that Bangladesh has a well-established framework for managing its water supply and sanitation resources, including tracking service standards, planning and financing facilities, and ensuring the functioning and upkeep of resources. However, there are areas where improvement is needed, such as performance monitoring, corrective measures, incentives, and sanctions. Oversight and regulation also need improvement in several categories, such as handling complaints and establishing and enforcing standards for water access and sanitation facilities. Corrective actions, rewards, and penalties are not commonly used in water resources management in Bangladesh, except in preventing and controlling diffuse contamination. The country needs to develop climate resilience measures to mitigate the impacts of climate change on water and sanitation infrastructure and improve community-based early warning systems.

The analysis finds that while there are policies and regulations in place, there are gaps in implementation, monitoring, and enforcement. There is a lack of accountability and transparency, and more needs to be done to incentivize stakeholders to participate actively and hold the relevant authorities accountable. Additionally, the recruitment and promotion processes of civil servants in the water sector lack transparency and accountability. Overall, there is a need for a framework to address corruption and fraud risks in the water sector, and mechanisms for reporting violations or protecting whistleblowers.

Women are more susceptible to the impacts and risks of climate change, resulting in higher dropout rates among girls. The article also notes that women and girls are more affected by climate-related disasters due to limited access to resources and decision-making processes, which is exacerbated by socio-economic and political factors. The study identified that women in shelters during emergencies face harassment due to a lack of privacy, highlighting the need for safe and harassment-free shelters for vulnerable individuals.

The water sector in Bangladesh faces several integrity challenges, such as bureaucratic complexity in project approval, delay or untimely start, a cumbersome and time-consuming land acquisition process, unabated sand extraction ignoring river ecology, challenges of operations and maintenance (O&M) of local BWDB, weak participation of community in project design and implementation, absence of vulnerability-based project development mechanism, weak integration between climate and development, faulty selection of geographical location, beneficiaries and not having proper EIA/SEA, compromised quality of construction, and absence of a whole-of-governance mechanism. These issues are questioning overall integrity and sustainability of the water sector in Bangladesh, and highlighting the need for comprehensive planning and management to ensure equitable and sustainable access to water resources for all.

The following recommendations are made to improve water sector integrity in this research report:

• Simplify and streamline the project approval process by reducing bureaucratic hurdles and introducing a more efficient, transparent, and accountable One Stop Service Act.
• Address corruption and mismanagement through transparent allocation of funds and contracts, monitoring of project implementation, and implementing anti-corruption measures.
• Address land grabbing and corruption in the land acquisition process by introducing more stringent regulations, enhancing transparency, and involving local communities in the decision-making process.
• Regulate sand extraction by enforcing environmental guidelines and regulations, introducing more oversight and monitoring mechanisms, and engaging stakeholders to promote more sustainable sand extraction practices.
• Allocate sufficient budget and resources, and hire qualified contractors promptly to carry out maintenance and repair work. Enhance human resource capacities, and ensure adequate availability of necessary equipment and materials to improve Operations and Maintenance.
• Involve the local community, water users, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders in the planning and execution of water-related initiatives to prevent corruption and mismanagement.
• Develop a vulnerability-based project development mechanism to ensure projects are developed based on the actual needs of the community and the vulnerabilities they face, ensuring projects are effective, appropriate, and sustainable.
• Integrate climate resilience into project planning and implementation by assessing the risks and impacts of climate change on water and sanitation projects and incorporating measures to increase their resilience.
• Ensure proper selection of geographical location and beneficiaries, and conduct proper Environmental Impact Assessment or Strategic Environmental Assessment to mitigate negative environmental impacts on the water sector to improve project selection and management.
• Enforce construction quality standards, implement quality control measures, and enhance transparency and accountability in the construction sector to enhance construction quality.
• Establish a whole-of-governance mechanism that ensures coordination and cooperation among government agencies and departments, civil society organizations, and the private sector, and enhances transparency and accountability in the water sector.