The ink is barely dry on the fiscal blueprints of our newly minted democracy. As the financial roadmap for 2026-27 enters the halls of parliament under the banner of a "democratic, humanitarian, and inclusive economy," a profound truth remains: A nation’s conscience is not measured by the clinical geometry of GDP growth or macro-fiscal abstractions.
Instead, it is written in the daily, unglamorous realities of its most vulnerable citizens. Standing at this historic crossroads of state reform, we must ask ourselves a visceral question: Does our new economic dawn reach the coastal woman walking miles under a blistering sun for a single pitcher of water, or the schoolgirl forced into academic absenteeism by the sheer lack of a dignified washroom?
For decades, the promise of basic sustenance -- enshrined in Article 15 of our Constitution -- was relegated to a non-justiciable luxury, hanging by the shifting tides of administrative benevolence. That political inertia was shattered by the High Court Division’s landmark ruling in Suo-Motu Rule 09/2020.
In a masterclass of judicial activism, the court explicitly elevated the right to safe drinking water to an inviolable facet of the “right to life”. It issued unequivocal, time-bound mandates to establish free water stations across public squares, transit hubs, marketplaces, and courts.
The national budget must explicitly include legal mandates for water access to foster a sense of responsibility among policymakers and ensure that our citizens' right to water is prioritized rather than overlooked.
The proposed fiscal policies, especially the gender-responsive allocations like automated health and hygiene vending machines, should inspire confidence that progress in gender equality is achievable and within reach.
Global research by the World Bank and The Lancet underscores that nearly 30% of girls in developing economies skip school due to a lack of menstrual hygiene management, initiating a domino effect that culminates in early marriage and truncated futures.
By making sanitary infrastructure mandatory and easing import/regulatory tariffs on local bio-hygiene machinery, the government is actively dismantling systemic gender barriers.
Climate change impacts, especially in coastal zones, threaten water security and public health, underscoring the need for policymakers to recognize climate resilience as essential to community survival and long-term development.
To bridge the gap between progressive policy and execution, the current administration should adopt a four-pronged strategic directive before finalizing the budget:
The existing budget code ‘4111309’ (sanitation and water supply) under the local government division must not be left as a generic pool.
The government should carve out a ring-fenced block allocation, explicitly earmarked for installing safe drinking water booths and modern public restrooms across the transit networks and saline-affected pockets, as ordered by the High Court.
This will signal that the new administration treats judicial accountability as a mandatory directive rather than an optional choice.
Reallocating funds from the Climate Change Trust to develop climate-resilient WASH models is not only necessary for survival but also economically prudent, as World Bank data show that every dollar invested in water and sanitation can reduce healthcare costs by three to four times, demonstrating smart, preventive economics.
The government's capacity to monitor and maintain water infrastructure can be bolstered by formalizing partnerships with civil society organizations and NGOs, which serve as independent watchdogs, ensuring that facilities remain functional and meet quality standards, thus addressing concerns about implementation and sustainability.
An inclusive economy cannot be built on the exploitation of its most marginalized labour force. The sanitation workers who maintain our public waste networks, public toilets, and faecal sludge plants deserve more than empty praise.
The state should utilize the social safety net framework to provide these workers with mandatory health insurance, specialized medical coverage, and top-tier protective gear.
This budget carries the aspirations of a historic popular uprising that demanded an end to inequality and state neglect. By bringing once-taboo issues like period hygiene and public sanitation into mainstream economic planning, the administration has shown commendable modern leadership. But plans are only as good as their execution.
Incorporating these specific, structural revisions will do more than fulfill a legal duty. It will show the world that the government of this new Bangladesh is deeply committed to human rights and dignity.
Our citizens are waiting for an economic blueprint where a glass of clean water and a woman’s bodily dignity are treated as absolute, non-negotiable rights.
Fayazuddin Ahmad is a socio-legal researcher and development professional.
