Dhaka – The policymakers and water experts at a meeting on Wednesday acknowledged that water resources management is the topmost crisis management issue for the country.Speaking at a presentation ceremony at the PKSF Auditorium, Dhaka, they put emphasis on the need to ensure proper implementation of the water policies that would regulate availability, management and access to water resources.
Minister for Water Resources Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, who addressed the meeting as the chief guest, stated that the government is now focusing on shifting towards river management as a part of comprehensive water resources management.
He stressed on turning the attention towards conservation of the water bodies as a crucial step to ensure effective management of 80 per cent of the water flow that we receive within a short span of four months every year.
Stating river and flood management as a major area of water management, the Minister explained that unless the question over utilization of water could be answered, this would instead turn into a losing factor for Bangladesh.
Chairman of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, who chaired the function, laid emphasis on the deep connectivity between water and poverty.
He said the per capita water coverage in Bangladesh is 5,768 cubic kilometres which is the highest in South Asia. Thus, it is evident that the problem in Bangladesh is purely about management, he said.
Bringing up the fact that most of the climate change effects were taking place through water, he pointed the three priorities that effective water resources management would be participatory, integrated and leading towards achieving the SDGs.
The Outcome Presentation Ceremony of the National Water Convention’16 was also addressed, among others, by ERD secretary Kazi Shofiqul Azam, Managing Director of PKSF Md. Abdul Karim, executive director of NGO Forum SMA Rashid.
The Outcome Presentation Ceremony was jointly hosted by Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad (BUP) and NGO Forum for Public Health.
The Convention Outcomes focused on the nexus between water and poverty at the central of the deliberations. With per cent of the climate change effects was taking place through water, effective water resources management would contribute in reducing poverty, discrimination centering availability and access, and in increasing national income in sustainable manner. The experts made it evident that the problem regarding water in Bangladesh is purely about management.
The 2-day National Water Convention was jointly hosted by Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), Bangladesh UnnayanParishad (BUP) and NGO Forum for Public Health on 28-29 December 2016 in Dhaka. The Outcomes were drawn based on key-note papers presented by eminent water experts, renowned academicians, researchers, top government officials international & national NGO professionals in 13 technical sessions centering key water management issues of the country. – Staff Reporter
