DEV Mission Progresses in Khulna, Bangladesh to Strengthen the Proposed Sanitation and Water Operator Partnership

A diagnostic and enabling visit funded by GWOPA under its EU-WOP Program is currently being conducted by partners Indah Water Konsortium (IWK), WaterLinks, and ICLEI South Asia to Khulna, Bangladesh. The mission is being carried out from 1–5 February 2026. The proposed Sanitation Operators Partnership (S/WOP) has both Khulna Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (KWASA) and Khulna City Corporation (KCC) as mentees covering sewerage and faecal sludge management.

The mission is assessing the sanitation and wastewater management systems, operational practices, and institutional capacities of KCC and KWASA to focus the partnership proposal to address the most pressing challenges of mentees. Day 1 focused on KCC, and Day 2 on KWASA, with meetings held with key personnel to discuss operational, technical, and institutional capacities.

Site visits complemented these discussions, including to KCC’s Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP), KWASA’s two STP construction sites, treatment plant laboratory, and pumping station projects, giving the team a comprehensive understanding of current operations and opportunities for improvement. The remainder of the visit will continue with discussions with relevant personnel to refine and enhance the proposal.