Bangladesh: Sanitation Microfinance for Rural Households

The World Bank Group—along with international and local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)—is a longtime partner of the Bangladesh government in improving access to sanitation. Strong progress has been achieved, and the Bank Group continues to support the government’s initiatives, particularly by mobilizing the country’s well-developed microfinance sector. A $3 million GPOBA grant, supported by technical assistance, crowded in $21 million of commercial financing so that rural households could affordably invest in hygienic latrines. This approach is being scaled up in Bangladesh and potentially other countries.