The six Water Treatment Plants (WTP) built by Friendship are located in key locations off the coastal regions of the Shyamnagar Upazila in Satkhira. It is one of the sponsorship projects from the NGO where two of the six plants are funded by the IMF and the remaining four are funded by Friendship Luxembourg. The plants were established with the equipment and machinery supplied by AK Khan Group.
Text by Irad Mustafa
Photos by Kazi Mukul
These plants are operated by the Shyamnagar Friendship office with the help of the local community. They provide access to safe and clean water to the locale in the Shyamnagar Upazila which is in the furthermost outskirts of the Sundarbans. Due to its isolated location, the availability of drinkable water is a major issue, especially after natural disasters. This project, in integration with two other interventions; community initiated disaster risk reduction and satellite clinic, helps to raise awareness on how to reduce risk and adopt healthy practice alongside make safe drinking water available at an affordable price for these underprivileged segments in Satkhira. Currently operational costs of 2 plants are supported by Nestle Bangladesh.
Before these facilities were set up, most people had to resort to drinking rain water or polluted lake water. This led to serious health issues for the people living in these areas. Since they’ve been established, the communities have benefited substantially.
Mustafa Azim Kasem Khan is the Director of Project Implementation of A K Khan & Company Ltd and the Director of Business Development of A K Khan WaterHealth Bangladesh Ltd. He has previously served as an Underwriting Team Leader at State Farm Insurance and Account Manager of Ricoh in Toronto, Canada.
What is your vision regarding A K Khan Water Health?
A K Khan WaterHealth Bangladesh Ltd. was established with a vision to establish 50 community water systems at first and then to scale up the model to 500 sites all over rural Bangladesh. Towards this goal we have partnered with Friendship NGO to establish 6 such sites in Satkhira, Khulna. Our partner has a very deep understanding of the locale’s safe water needs and through their complementary programs within the community, is best suited to help us reach our goal of providing safe water.
A K Khan WaterHealth Bangladesh Ltd
“We at A K Khan WaterHealth Banlgadesh Ltd, have partnered with Friendship to establish 6 such sites in Satkhira, Khulna. Our partner has a very deep understanding of the locale’s safe water needs and through their complementary programs within the community, is best suited to help us reach our goal of providing safe water.”
How are the people benefiting from these projects?
Before the intervention of Friendship and A K Khan WaterHealth, members of the community would have to travel several kilometers on foot and by boat. However, after we set up these water treatment plants, they have easy access to safe water at a reasonable price.
What is your future plan?
Our future plan is to have a community water system at the center of every community that requires access to safe water. Through our own labs we are able to provide the same quality of water that we offer to our customers in Chittagong through our Dr. Water brand. We are hopeful Friendship and A K Khan WaterHealth can jointly take our program countrywide. We are also interested in partnering up with the Government of Bangladesh to reach customers in difficult regions where water quality is not of a reasonable standard.
