National sanitation month-2013 is being celebrated in the district from October 10 with a call to achieve 100 per cent sanitation coverage target by 2015 through stopping the open defecation.
To celebrate the month in a befitting manner, Chinnomul Mohila Samity (SMS), a reputed NGO here, has taken up elaborate programmes in cooperation with UNICEF and Practical Action Bangladesh under the project of Strengthening the Innovative Initiatives (Sanimart, Waste to Bio-Gas) promoted under the Urban Component of SHEWAB and Waste to Compost in Gaibandha Town.The programmes include bringing out colorful rally, holding discussion meeting, rendering songs on sanitation at public places, decorating road islands with poster and banners inscribed with slogans on sanitation, creating awareness on sanitation, hand wash and cleanliness among the students, leaf let distribution and staging dramas.On Thursday morning, a big colorful rally led by Deputy Dommissioner (DC) Dr. Quazi Anwarul Haque was brought out from Independence Square of the town and ended at the campus of district council after parading the main roads of the town.Later, a motivational meeting on sanitation and its importance to ensure a better and disease free healthy society was held at the auditorium of Zilla Parishad with deputy director of local government section of DC office Dr. Mallick Anwar Hossain in the chair. DC Dr. Quazi Anwarul Haque addressed the meeting and formally inaugurated the national sanitation month-2013 in the district as the chief guest and executive engineer of Department of Public Health and Engineering SM Halim Uddin, Sadar UNO Mamunur Rashid and district primary education officer AKM Amirul Islam were present as the special guests. The function was also addressed among others by project manager of Practical Action Bangladesh Julia Akter, project coordinator of SMS AKM Rezaul Karim, member of Sanitation Mela adolescent Afroza Akter and vice president of Gaibandha Press Club Sarker M. Shahiduzzaman. In the meeting, executive engineer SM Halim Uddin said the sanitation coverage rate in the district is 82.20 percent and sought cooperation of all to achieve 100 percent sanitation coverage in the district within the stipulated time fixed by the government. DC said success of the total hygienic sanitation programme depended on its sustainability and the NGOs, members of civil society and affluent section of the society would have to play the key role to make the programme a grand success. The DC also urged the field level government officials concerned and public representatives to engage the community and religious leaders of grass root level in the campaign so that it could be turned into a social movement. District level officials, heads of different academic institutions and NGO representatives including the journalists of print and electronic
media participated in the meeting. Talking to the BSS executive director of SMS Murshedur Rahman Khan said a discussion meeting on cleanliness was also held at Munshipara Government Primary School of the town for its students in the afternoon as part of the celebration of national sanitation month. –BSS, Gaibandha
