International Roundtable Discusses Local Government and Water Sanitation Ahead of Budget

On Saturday, a roundtable discussion took place at the CIRDAP Auditorium aimed at advocating for an equitable, comprehensive, and sustainable distribution of funds within the forthcoming national budget for fiscal year 2025-26, specifically focusing on allocations for local governments and the water-sanitation sector.

The event was orchestrated by the developmental group DORP, supported by Helvetas Bangladesh. Attendees included delegates from multiple governmental ministries and commissions, along with economists, engineers, professionals in development work, and individuals from the press.

Dr. Tofayel Ahmed, who serves as the Chairperson of the Local Government Reform Commission, attended as the keynote speaker. Notable guests included Professor Dr. Mohammad Helal Uddin from the Microcredit Regulatory Authority as an executive vice-chairman; Dr. Abu Mohammad Zakir Hossain, part of the Health Sector Reform Commission; Dr. Zillur Rahman NDC, acting as the Managing Director at the Bangladesh NGO Foundation; along with Sabbir Ahmed FCA, a member of the Bank Reform Taskforce.

The keynote addresses were presented by Dr. Mahfuz Kabir, an eminent economist and Research Director at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies, along with AHM Noman, who founded and leads DORP as its CEO. The subsequent discussions on these keynotes were facilitated by Mir Abdus Shahid, Additional Chief Engineer (Civil) for the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE); Ehteshamul Russell Khan, another leader within DPHE serving as Additional Chief Engineer (Planning); and Mainul Hasan Sohel, General Secretary of Dhaka Reporters Union (DRU). Participants included representatives from multiple government bodies and private enterprises, alongside relevant stakeholders.

The session was led by Mohammad Nurul Amin, the Chairperson of DORP, who emphasized DORP’s efforts during his concluding comments and underscored the significance of boosting local government funding as well as utilizing these resources efficiently to address the nation's water and sanitation issues. Mohammad Zobaer Hasan, serving as the Deputy Executive Director of DORP, facilitated the conversation.