Khulna: A day-long consultation workshop on “Climate Resilience Strategy for Khulna City: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)” was held at the CSS Aava Centre in the city on Wednesday. Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Administrator Nazrul Islam Manju chaired the workshop, while Khulna WASA Chairman Mohammad Moniruzzaman addressed it as the chief guest. The workshop was organized by Accompany Major Consultant (AMC), a consulting firm, under the Climate Change Adapted Urban Development (CCAUD) project being implemented under KCC supervision.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, representatives of KCC, Khulna WASA, Khulna Development Authority (KDA), Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Khulna University, and non-government organizations attended the workshop. The project is being jointly implemented by the Government of Bangladesh, the German Development Bank, and the KCC.
Addressing the inaugural session, KCC Administrator Nazrul Islam Manju urged the authorities concerned to complete the activities undertaken under the project within the stipulated time. He highlighted the challenges posed by waste management and waterlogging, noting that while various initiatives have provided temporary relief during the current monsoon, sustainable long-term solutions are necessary.
He further urged Khulna WASA to ensure proper water management in low-income settlements and emphasized installing water ATM booths. Additionally, he called upon the WASA authorities to inform city residents in advance about seasonal changes in water supply, particularly when the supplied water may become saline.
The main objective of the project is to improve the quality of life of urban residents by strengthening the capacity of local government institutions. Adopted in November 2022, the project includes a collaboration with Dhaka-based research organization South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM) to formulate and implement an institutional development strategy. SANEM has already conducted workshops with KCC officials and relevant stakeholders and held meetings to finalize implementation activities under the institutional development strategy. The latest workshop was organized as part of the next step in the process.
Khulna WASA Managing Director Md Firoz Shah, KCC Chief Executive Officer Rajib Ahmed, Chief Engineer Mashiuzzaman Khan, and AMC International Team Leader Sheikh Muhammad Mehedi Ahsan addressed the workshop as special guests. KCC Chief Planning Officer Abir-ul-Jabbar delivered the welcome address.