Deadline: 31-Aug-2025
UNHCR Bangladesh is inviting Expressions of Interest from experienced WASH partners for a multi-year project running from 2026 to 2029. The goal is to improve water, sanitation, and hygiene services for Rohingya refugees living in Teknaf, Chittagong. Despite the overall water supply exceeding 20 litres per person per day, seasonal shortages remain a challenge during the dry season in this region.
A key development in addressing water scarcity is the upgradation of the Nayapara water reservoir, expected to be completed in 2025 with World Bank support. This project will reduce reliance on water trucking, which is expensive and resource-intensive. However, improving water access must also involve integrated settlement planning to ensure equitable service delivery.
Since the rationalisation of the WASH Sector, UNHCR has taken over coordination of WASH services in the Teknaf mega camp. It plans to connect Camps 24 and 25 to its centralised faecal sludge treatment plant in 2025, a move expected to cut operational and maintenance costs. The adoption of an integrated shelter/WASH approach, which places toilets and bath cubicles closer to homes, has improved accessibility and safety—particularly for women and persons with disabilities. This approach will be scaled up over the next project phase.
The transition to household-level waste collection has visibly improved hygiene, though community littering remains an issue. Behavioural change through community engagement will be a focus to strengthen ownership and accountability. UNHCR will continue to coordinate with partners, enhance capacity, and monitor service delivery standards.
Selected WASH partners will carry out a range of activities. These include maintaining and upgrading water infrastructure to improve climate resilience and emergency readiness, monitoring groundwater systems, and installing rainwater harvesting systems adapted to changing hydrological patterns in Teknaf. They will also be responsible for operating faecal sludge treatment plants, maintaining sanitation facilities, and managing recycling and composting operations.
Hygiene promotion is another key area. Partners will deliver education on water conservation and climate-resilient hygiene practices, aiming to improve public health and support environmental goals. For these activities, partners will procure necessary goods and services such as mechanical parts and plumbing materials. Procurement for new infrastructure will be limited and based on emerging needs. UNHCR will handle procurement of vehicles, medicines, and Core Relief Items.
The selected partner must have experience working in the Rohingya refugee context and demonstrate strong risk management practices. Project design and execution must mainstream age, gender, and diversity principles, while also incorporating environmental and climate action considerations.
By 2029, the project aims to ensure that forcibly displaced people live in safe and healthy environments, actively participate in service delivery, and build resilience to disasters. They will have access to safe and adequate WASH services, benefit from maintained potable water supply and sanitation infrastructure, and adopt hygiene practices that meet sector standards.
This project will take place in Bangladesh, specifically in Chittagong, with a focus on the WASH and environment sectors, covering water, hygiene, and basic sanitation.
For more information, visit UNHCR.
