ITN-BUET Hands Over South Asia’s First Municipal Level CWIS Knowledge Corner to Faridpur Municipality

As part of its commitment to strengthening municipal knowledge management and advancing Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) in Bangladesh, ITN-BUET, with support from the Gates Foundation, established a dedicated CWIS Corner at Faridpur Municipality under the “CWIS Scaling and Innovation Project”. Faridpur is one of the six municipalities being supported by ITN-BUET as a CWIS Mentor City, where local experiences and innovations are being documented to facilitate peer learning among urban local bodies. The Faridpur CWIS Corner is believed to be the first dedicated municipal-level CWIS knowledge corner in South Asia, serving as a permanent knowledge platform to showcase the city’s sanitation journey and practical experiences in CWIS and Fecal Sludge Management (FSM) for municipalities, practitioners, and development partners.

On 6 July 2026, ITN-BUET formally handed over the CWIS Corner to the Faridpur Municipality authority, marking the official transfer of the facility and reinforcing the municipality’s role as a leading CWIS mentor city. The handover ceremony was attended by Dr. Rowshan Mamtaz, Director of ITN-BUET, who officially handed over the corner to Mr. Md. Iliasur Rahman, Administrator of Faridpur Municipality, in the presence of Mr. Hossain Mohammad Hye Joki, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Shamsul Alam, Executive Engineer, municipal officials, partner organizations, and representatives of sanitation worker committees. The ITN-BUET delegation also included Mr. Alauddin Ahmed, Project Manager; Mr. Kazi Amin, Knowledge Management Specialist; Ms. Qazi Aniqua Zahra, Project Officer; and Mr. Mohammod Tareq Aziz Justice, ICT Assistant.

The corner features an information board highlighting the municipality's progress in fecal sludge management (FSM) and Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS), a 3D model of the Faridpur Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP), and a collection of knowledge products developed by ITN-BUET and other WASH sector organizations documenting Faridpur's FSM initiatives and achievements.

Prior to the handover ceremony, the ITN-BUET delegation participated in a coordination meeting with Faridpur Municipality officials, partner organizations, and representatives of sanitation worker committees to review the city’s sanitation progress, reflect on key achievements in SWM and FSM, and discuss future priorities for strengthening inclusive urban sanitation services. A presentation by Mr. Shamsul Alam highlighted Faridpur’s significant advancements in solid waste management (SWM) and fecal sludge management (FSM) since 2010, emphasizing the role of strategic partnerships and technical support in strengthening urban sanitation services and positioning Faridpur as a leading example of sustainable and inclusive sanitation development.

Addressing the gathering, representatives from ITN-BUET and Faridpur Municipality highlighted the strategic importance of transforming local sanitation experiences into institutional knowledge that can guide other cities. Dr. Rowshan Mamtaz and Mr. Alauddin Ahmed emphasized that documenting good practices, strengthening municipal capacity, and fostering peer-to-peer learning are essential for scaling Citywide Inclusive Sanitation across Bangladesh. In response, Mr. Md. Iliasur Rahman and Mr. Hossain Mohammad Hye Joki reaffirmed Faridpur Municipality’s commitment to sustaining its leadership as a CWIS Mentor City and advancing inclusive sanitation through continued collaboration with ITN-BUET and sector partners, positioning Faridpur as a model for evidence-based urban sanitation governance.

The program concluded with a formal handover ceremony, during which ITN-BUET officially transferred the CWIS Corner to Faridpur Municipality. As a permanent knowledge space within the municipality, the corner will preserve and document Faridpur’s sanitation journey, showcase innovative practices in Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) and Fecal Sludge Management (FSM), and serve as a continuous learning platform for municipal officials, practitioners, students, researchers, and visitors.

The establishment of the CWIS Corner reflects ITN-BUET’s ongoing commitment to strengthening municipal capacity and institutionalizing knowledge under the CWIS Scaling and Innovation Project. By documenting local experiences and making them accessible, the initiative will foster peer learning, encourage other cities to learn from Faridpur’s CWIS journey, and support the adaptation and implementation of effective sanitation practices in their respective areas. The corner is expected to inspire the replication of good practices and contribute to evidence-based urban sanitation governance across Bangladesh