Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Monday said Bangladesh will ratify the ‘European Convention on Shared Lakes and Rivers’ to establish its legal position in international water negotiations.
She said Bangladesh is in the final stages of ratifying the European Convention on Shared Lakes and Rivers, a move that will bolster the country’s legal standing in international water negotiations.
Rizwana, also the water resources adviser, made the remarks while speaking at an international seminar on water and flood management held at CIRDAP here with a focus on water and ecosystem conservation in the context of climate change.
About trans-boundary water-sharing challenges, Rizwana stressed the need for strategic national preparedness.
Besides, she urged all stakeholders to get united in taking decisive actions to restore the country’s dying rivers.
Highlighting discussions with international and bilateral development partners to restore the rivers, she said the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) is keen to provide support for revising the Buriganga River.
“Restoring our rivers is a formidable challenge, yet it is not beyond our reach. It must begin today,” she added.
Rizwana underscored the urgent need for protecting the Bangladesh’s rivers and communities dependent on river ecosystem.
She drew attention to the persistent gap between policy formulation and implementation, stating that the real challenge lies in the lack of commitment to enforcement.
“Dhaka, despite being surrounded by seven rivers, faces a severe water crisis. People expect overnight solutions — clean air today, rivers tomorrow. But we must acknowledge that years of ecosystem neglect and destruction cannot be reversed instantly,” she noted.
The environment advisor warned that Bangladesh’s river systems are losing their natural flow due to over-extraction of water for irrigation, fisheries, and industrial use.
“Rivers that once meet the sea are now running dry. They have been reduced to drainage channels for industrial waste. This must change if we are to protect our water security and biodiversity,” she observed.
On flood management, she highlighted Bangladesh’s alarming ranking in climate vulnerability indices.
“We must prioritise investments in river navigability, flood protection, and community preparedness. Our early warning systems need to be more effective, and communication with vulnerable populations must be in languages they understand,” she added.
She cautioned against normalising excessive flooding and called for targeted budget allocations to safeguard agriculture, fisheries, river transport, and water supply.
“Our people are resilient, but resilience alone is not enough. The global community must take responsibility for protecting major river systems and sharing real-time data to mitigate flood risks,” the adviser said.
As climate change accelerates, she advocated for a proactive and preventive approach.
“Adaptation has its limits. If global mitigation targets are not met, how much can we truly adapt? Climate change is not just our battle — it is a shared global responsibility,” he added.
The seminar was chaired by Professor Abu Borhan Mohammad Badruzzaman, Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
Nazmul Ahsan, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources; S. M. Mahbubur Rahman, Executive Director, Institute of Water Modelling (IWM); Malik Fida A Khan, Executive Director, Centre for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS); Dr. Md. Moniruzzaman, Deputy Managing Director, Dhaka WASA; and Professor GM Tarekul Islam, Chair of the Organizing Committee, ICWFM 2025 also spoke.