With a view to achieving sanitation for all by 2010, eco toilets will be set up soon in 4500 unions of the country. This was stated by LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal while addressing a press briefing at Cirdap auditorium in the city yesterday on the eve of the launching of International Year of Sanitation and National Hand Washing Campaign tomorrow. The United Nations designated March 22 as World Water Day and this year the theme of the day is '2008, the International Year of Sanitation.' The adviser said eco toilets, from where the human wastes to be converted into fertiliser, are also cheaper and environment-friendly. He said the government is also planning to set up eco toilets in the capital which will be used as community latrines in areas of low-income group. He said still 10 percent of the total population is accustomed to open defecation that leads to diarrhoea and different types water borne diseases. Due to diarrhoea some 1.25 lakh children aged between 1 and 5 die every year and Bangladesh spends Tk 500 crore every year for the treatment of water borne diseases, he added. While presenting the keynote paper Prof Dr Muhammad Mujibur Rahman of Buet said sanitation is vital for human health and it generates economic benefits, contributes to social development and helps protect the environment. He said continual improvement of sanitation needs sustained political commitment, greater emphasis on education and raising awareness with effective participation of all stakeholders. At the same time, public and private sectors investment must be increased with greater attention to the poor, he added. Chief Engineer of the public health directorate Muhammad Mostafizur Rahman and representatives of different stakeholders were present on the occasion. The press briefing was organised jointly by National Sanitation Task Force Media Committee, Local Government Division of LGRD ministry, Forum of Environmental Journalists of Bangladesh (FEJB) and International Training Network Centre, Buet in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Brac.