Many Dhaka residents have stopped using toilets outside their homes and known places due to hygiene concerns and mismanagement, and the number is growing.
Some commuters are forced to use the roadside restrooms, possibly for the first and the last time, as they experience untold sufferings in such crucial moments, like urination and defecation, which are essential to maintaining good health.
Tissues and soaps are not provided in most public toilets. In some places, doors, windows, water taps and commodes are broken, and many are not favourable for people with special needs. Lack of hygiene awareness by the authorities also leads to the spread of infectious diseases among people, mainly women.
On the other hand, many are dodged when they find a public toilet, after frantic efforts, but under lock and key, or in an abandoned state.
Awful enough, the megacity Dhaka of two million residents and a large number of commuters has only 168 public toilets -- in papers -- with more than half of those now out of service.
In the last few years, the city authorities have established some smart public toilets and renovated a number of old ones at different key points like main roads, public parks, bus stations and kitchen markets. Still, the initiatives are too insignificant and ineffective in improving the public health situation and environment.
Commuters have to face bitter experiences as they come across public toilets at privately-owned shopping malls, superstores, bus counters and event venues.
As a whole, the poor state of the majority of the public toilets implies that the authorities do not have the monitoring and management capacity to ensure this essential service.
Newly-built toilets remain closed
According to the data provided by Dhaka South City Corporation's property department, the DSCC has 74 public toilets under 75 wards. Among those, private organization Water Aid takes care of 11, while 46 have been leased. The remaining public toilets are either closed, abandoned and under renovation.
On the other hand, of the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC)'s 94 public toilets in 54 wards, 23 are operated by private organizations -- Bhoomij manages five, Water Aid runs 16 and Space manages two. Most of the remaining 71 public toilets are closed.
The newly constructed public toilet at Banani Road No. 27 has been lying unused for over six months Rashidul HasanHowever, investigation shows that many of the public toilets on lease are currently closed. Some are also being used by influential quarters for other purposes.
The city authorities started setting up improved public toilets in cooperation with private firms and NGOs in 2013-14, which has helped Bangladesh move ahead in achieving Sustainable Development Goal-6. The goal is to ensure access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene, the most basic human need for health and well-being.
Management capacity under question
The DNCC authorities have constructed a public toilet next to the Banani 27 playground. But pedestrians are urinating in open spaces next to it since it remains locked.
A DNCC official, who wished to remain anonymous, said the public toilet was initially set to be inaugurated in October last year, but it did not happen for unknown reasons. The playground has yet to be opened to the public.
The same was the fate for the new public toilets built adjacent to the parks in Banani F Block, Iqbal Road, Shyamoli Park and several other places of the DNCC, and Bangshal Park, Rasulbagh Park and Sikkatuli Park under the DSCC's jurisdiction.
Leasing out is preferred
As per official documents, the public toilet at Zindabahar Nawab Sirajuddaula Park in Old Dhaka's Nawab Bazar is operational. But during a visit to the park, these correspondents discovered a coffee shop in the park and all the materials for making snacks are kept inside the toilet.
Roksana Begum, a resident from the area who visits the park every day for a walk, said: “Many people use this park for morning and evening walks. There was a long-standing expectation of the people who come to walk here regularly that there should be a public toilet in this park.
“Now there is a toilet, but we are not allowed to use it.”
Asked, an employee of the coffee shop said that the owner had leased the public toilet as well as the coffee shop.
Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune“So, we are not obliged to give an explanation to anyone whether we use this toilet or keep it closed. The authorities have asked us to use the toilet when necessary. This is why we keep our essentials here,” said the staff.
One Rafiq Uddin Molla took the public toilet on lease for one year in February last year. After that, Motijheel Jubo League unit leader Noor Islam Chowdhury took rent from him.
Noor Islam said: “Within a month of renting it, the water supply line of the toilet broke. Since then, it has remained closed.”
He said: "I have reported the matter to the city corporation authorities, but they have not taken any action."
Mismanagement, oversight
Even though the people pay money for the service, the authorities remain reluctant to maintain hygiene inside the public toilets.
The public toilets located next to Kabi Nazrul College in Old Dhaka, at Bahadur Shah Park, Malitola Park and Sadarghat Launch Terminal charge a fee, but the operators do not provide handwash, soap or tissue, putting public health at risk.
The facility near Kabi Nazrul College is unclean and there is no high commode needed for women. Besides, two toilets are closed.
Ibrahim, a cleaner, said very few people come to the toilet and that some women come here to take drugs. “This is why there is no need for more toilets. If more people come, we will fix the water faucet or basin. It is not necessary now,” he said.
Regarding the non-availability of soap and tissue at the public toilet of Bahadur Shah Park, Aklima, the employee in charge, said: "We have run out of tissue and soap today."
Enamul Haque, 56, who came for a walk in the park, said: "When you walk here, you have to use the toilet almost every time you end up. It is true that these toilets are clean, but there is never soap or tissue paper.”
Another local Sayeba Khatun said the authorities should provide napkins or tissues for women.
Bangla TribuneThe public toilet inside Malitola Park is in the worst condition. Many people leave without going to the toilet after seeing the dirty environment.
Rickson, a student who came to the public toilet, said: "I have never seen a public toilet as dirty as this one. Excrement is accumulated on the surface of the toilet. When you come here, you just vomit.”
Another Jasmin Akhter said: “The women's toilet is fairly clean. But there is no system of sanitization.”
The public toilet next to the launch terminal also does not have any sanitization system. While this public toilet is quite clean, Momena Begum, who came to the launch terminal, said: "There is no soap here, and it is a luxury to find hand sanitizer or hand wash.''
What the authorities say
Russell Sabrin, chief estate officer of the DSCC, said there was no reason for not providing good service at the public toilets that were leased out to private firms or individuals.
“Why won't they give good service! They won't get customers if they don't provide good service with the high lease rates. They will suffer financially.”
He added that the DSCC authorities would lease out the other toilets left under their jurisdiction and monitor regularly.
Mohammad Abul Kashem, supervising engineer of the DNCC's Environment, Climate and Disaster Management Cell, said: “After construction, we have 14 public toilets waiting to be commissioned. But the city corporation does not have enough manpower to manage them. For that reason, we'll lease out the toilets.”
He said that there were more than 50 newly-constructed and renovated public toilets, out of which only 3-4 were leased out already.
What is the solution?
Executive Director of the Institute for Planning and Development Adil Muhammad Khan said 200 public toilets for a megacity like Dhaka was very insignificant.
“Moreover, it is not possible to build and manage an adequate number of public toilets. So, the city corporation should ensure proper service at the existing ones,” he said.
The urban planner suggested that sufficient public toilets should be constructed in mosques, temples, markets, shopping malls and kept open for the people.
