The High Court has declared access to safe water a fundamental right for all citizens, ensuring state responsibility.
On Thursday, a High Court bench comprising Justice Md Ashraful Kamal and Justice Kazi Waliul Islam delivered the verdict, declaring access to safe and potable water as a fundamental right for every citizen of Bangladesh.
In its ruling, the court said under Article 32 of the Bangladesh Constitution, every citizen has the fundamental right to safe and pure drinking water and it is the state’s responsibility to ensure this right.
The court further instructed that within one year, safe drinking water must be made accessible to all citizens in key public places, including courts, religious establishments, hospitals, railway stations, marketplaces, and airports.
Additionally, within the next ten years, measures must be taken to provide safe and potable water at an affordable cost for every citizen in the country.
Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab described the verdict as historic, emphasizing that its implementation would benefit a vast majority of the population and protect them from waterborne diseases.
The ruling also mandates the government to submit a report to the court by 2026, detailing the steps taken to ensure free and safe drinking water in all public places.
The directive will remain in effect as an ongoing order.
Moreover, the court clarified that its previous rulings on the Turag River, Sonargaon and Hatirjheel cases are incorporated into this judgment.
Additionally, the government has been directed to safeguard the country’s water sources to prevent depletion, contamination and pollution.
Recognizing the national significance of the matter, the court-appointed several legal experts as amicus curiae to assist with the case.
Among them were Supreme Court Senior Advocate Manzil Morshed, Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab and Minhazul Islam from the human rights organization BELA.
Earlier, in 2020, the High Court had issued a suo moto rule, inquiring whether the state is responsible for providing safe drinking water to all citizens and whether access to such water should be declared a fundamental right.
Following the final hearing on that rule, the court has now delivered its verdict.
