Sharing Meeting on Findings of the Research on Water Sector Transparency and Accountability

[VOICE, Dhaka, 14 July 2009] Speakers at a sharing meeting held today in Dhaka stressed the need for water access rights to be guaranteed by supply management systems across all municipalities in Bangladesh. The group concurred that this could only be achieved through greater transparency and accountability.

Organized by VOICE, a research and activist group, the roundtable was held in the city’s SUPRO’s meeting room. Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, executive director of VOICE presented the meeting with the findings of research conducted by VOICE on water sector transparency and accountability in the Mymensingh municipality.

“The municipality only supplies four hours of water per day, which causes serious problems for consumers.” Said Ahmed Swapan. “Twenty-five percent of our research participants said that they have been victims of fake billing, while ninety percent complained that they did not receive a regular water supply.”

The research reveals that consumers suffer due to consistent impurities with the water supply, as seventy-six percent of users are dissatisfied about the cleanliness of their municipal water. The findings also show that only twenty-two percent of residents are covered by the municipality's water supply, while other seventy-eight percent are forced to collect water from different sources.

VOICE's research shows that a large number of consumers are engaged in pilfering water through illegal connections, while it also finds that corruption and mismanagement are deeply entrenched the municipality's water supply system.

The research also shows that due to limitations of the budgetary allocations, water supply coverage can’t be expanded while people suffer from impure drinking water. However, twenty-two percent of the participants said that they faced great difficulties getting information on water supply from the municipality, and eighty percent do not have access to information about the municipality’s budget and expenditure.

The speakers stressed that authorities should ensure a mechanism of transparency and accountability so that residents of the municipality can get smooth and hassle-free delivery of water service. The research report recommends the formation of a citizen’s committee and the participation of citizens in the water management system. The report also emphasized the formulation of a citizen charter that could help provide better service in the water supply management.

The speakers suggested a participatory policy framework, transparent procurement system, and proper monitoring mechanism to provide better water delivery services for the consumers. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate the need to strengthen local government institutions to ensure one- stop service from the municipality.

The research took the response of the respondents from 25 areas of Mymensing municipality, with an objective of discovering how to ensure that the people's right to safe drinking water is upheld. The research also sought to learn how to expedite service and increase transparency within the existing water supply system with the participation of ordinary citizens.

Among others, Uma Chowdhury, director of Supro, Farjana Akter from VOICE, Dr. Mustafizur Rahman of Supro, Al Razi, Mohammad Zakaria and Mousumi Biswas spoke at the meeting.

VOICE also unveil its recently created documentary tiled 'Troubled Waters: Water Sector Transparency and Accountability.'