Mobile toilets are viable

Fifty-one mobile toilets have been set up in different parts of the city under a joint project led by Association for Realisation of Basic Needs (ARBAN) and WaterAid Bangladesh, two non-government organisations. Lack of public toilets in this city of more than 15 million has been an acute problem for decades. So, it is a much welcome move that a non-traditional approach has been adopted that is not only viable but costs the municipal authorities nothing to maintain in upkeep. The toilets, separate for men and women are equipped with necessary sanitary equipment where cleanliness is maintained. The charge is nominal. The alternative to these mobile toilet facilities of course is what we have become used to – the stench of stale urine or worse emanating from footpaths all over the city.

Open defecation is not something people do willingly, but do so out of necessity in the absence of toilets. It poses health hazards for people who call Dhaka their home, and, since these facilities are mobile in nature, they can be set up anywhere. A report in this paper found that with maintenance costing Tk. 220 for water and Tk. 60 for electricity, the individual in charge of upkeep of these facilities can still earn up to Tk. 300 to Tk. 400 per day. It has met with success because people are willing to pay Tk. 5 to Tk. 10 to use a clean facility which offers relief, hygiene and privacy. We believe that such innovative solutions to basic problems such as hygiene have a lot of potential. The project should be scaled up to cover all major parts of Dhaka city for better service to the public.