Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday stressed the need for working out future plans to address water supply, sewerage treatment and waste management for the country’s rural areas alongside the capital as the government wants to develop every village as a township.

‘We’ll have to take steps to address three issues—ensuring safe water supply, sewerage treatment and waste management—in an integrated way for every district, upazila, union and ward. Because, we want to develop every village as a township,’ she said.

The Prime Minister was addressing a function after digitally unveiling the foundation stone of a sewerage treatment plant in the city, reports the UNB.

Sheikh Hasina asked the Local Government Minister and others concerned to work out future plans in this regard alongside a plan for the capital.

Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Dwasa) arranged the function at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel to lay the foundation stone of Dasherkandi Sewerage Treatment Plant.

The Prime Minister bemoaned that various obstacles delay the process whenever the government goes for implementing any important project.

Mentioning that the government had to face 68 cases during the implementation of Hatirjheel project, she said, ‘When we want to do anything, obstacles com up. We’ll have to work overcoming the barriers.’

Hasina said if a plan for every union is taken now, there will be no problem during implementation of any development project in the future.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, Local Government Division Senior Secretary Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan, Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka Zhang Zuo and Dwasa Managing Director Engineer Taqsem A Khan also spoke at the function.

A video presentation was projected over Daserkandi Sewerage Treatment Plant which will be constructed at Khilgaon in the city.

The plant has been taken to ensure modern sewerage system for some 50 lakh people of Hatirjheel, Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, Basundhara, Sangsad Bhaban and adjacent areas.