FSM in Bangladesh &

experiences of DPHE
by
Mahmudur Rashid Mazumder
Executive Engineer
&
Md. Sultan Mahmud
Executive Engineer

Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE)

1
 Improvement in Sanitation Coverage in Bangladesh over the
past decade is “remarkable”.

Bangladesh made significant achievement in

education, health, sanitation, and gender
issues over the last decade and in particular,
the prevalence of open defecation has been
reduced to 1% in 2015 from 42% in 2003.

Status of FSM in BD
 Small scale initiatives – very encouraging
 Legal and institutional framework needed for
scaling up

The major focus shift from MDG to SDG ‘Safely managed sanitation
regarding sanitation is: from access to services’,
2
Encouraging FSM initiatives in Bangladesh
 With support from GoB, I/NGOs, Development Partners, more than
115 Paurashavas out of 321 have begun/going to begin providing FSM
services.

 Mechanical desludging is getting popular, traditional pit-emptiers are

being integrated into this modern service.

 Fecal sludge treatment plants are being built, and useful end-products
(compost) are being produced.

3
Common problems in FSM implementation
Low
Inadequate
institutional
financing
strength

Irregular
Poor
frequency of
awareness
emptying

High
Missing FSM environmental Mixed waste
practices contamination dumping

4
FSM Framework for Bangladesh

National FSM Recognizing the importance of FSM, the

Framework Government of Bangladesh, developed-
“Institutional and Regulatory Framework
(IRF) for FSM in Bangladesh”,

Rural FSM Urban FSM

Mega City Dhaka City Corporations Paurashava Towns

5
Features of IRF in Bangladesh
 Clearly assigns responsibility of FSM to specific institutions based on
existing laws, policies and strategies.
 Identifies specific related activities to be carried out by concerned
institutions.

With this IRF in place,

Overlapping of responsibilities of institutions would be avoided.
Stakeholders coordination would be ensured
Environmental, financial and social sustainability would be attained

6
 Recent Experience of DPHE
 Implementation of treatment process of septic tank wastewater and
sludge (by reed bed system) at different Pourashavas;

 Installation of improved technology: BIOFIL toilet (Onsite FSM)

technology in hard to reach areas.

7
 FSTP design and implementation

• Quality and Quantity of FS

• Land and Materials Availability
• O&M Availability Sludge
Sludge Collection & Dewatering
Conveyance and drying
• CAPEX / OPEX
• End use requirement
Fertiliser
Co-composting on bed
• Short term vs Long term
• Climatic conditions

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BIOFIL toilet and its components

Porous Concrete Coconut fiber

Completed Biofil Toilet

Soak Well Elevated sludge chamber

 The Biofil System
• Accelerated
decomposition of
human excreta (Using
earth worm)
• Stabilization of fecal
sludge
• Solid-Liquid Separation
• Biofiltration of effluent
Sustainability of Biofil

• Biofil found technically feasible in urban slum areas,

• In other rural and per-urban areas Biofil found successful,
• Biofil appears as a suitable option for implementation in the
rural areas, where lack of FSM services is threatening
sustainability of sanitation facilities.

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FSM: Challenges related to Containment

 Most human faeces are not contained safely

 Pit latrines and ‘septic tanks’ do not function effectively
 Faecal sludge finds its way directly into the
environment
 Need to ensure safe containment of onsite sanitation
by setting and enforcing building and emptying
regulations
FSM: Challenges related to Emptying and Transportation

 Access to OSS facility

 Appropriate collection system (vehicle, safety
issues)
 Travel distance/ Transfer station
 Often sludge does not reach official dumping
site due to indiscriminate dumping of sludge
 Existing services: informal and outside public
sector control
 Small operators: difficult to run a profitable
business
FSM: Challenges related to Treatment and Disposal

 Only a small % is being treated due to lack of

dedicated facilities
 Land for treatment
 Standard treatment facilities require significant
investments
 Quality assurance of treated FS for enduse
 Appropriate sludge treatment plants are needed to
ensure a complete and effective sanitation value
chain
 Institutional roles and responsibilities important to
face all the above challenges
For Further Details-
mahmud967@yahoo.com
cesultan@gmail.com15