UNOPS to help Bangladesh mitigate water crisis in CHT: Rizwana

Adviser for Water Resources Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Tuesday said the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) will work on addressing the water crisis in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region.

“The collaboration will explore ways to improve the lives and livelihoods of local communities by sharing knowledge and identifying opportunities,” she said at a meeting with the Country Manager of UNOPS Bangladesh Sudhir Muralidharan at her secretariat office in Dhaka.

During the meeting, they discussed potential partnerships between UNOPS and the Bangladesh government to address climate change impacts, conserve forests and ensure sustainable development.

Rizwana Hasan, also the environment, forest, and climate change adviser, stressed the need for sustainable infrastructure projects to minimise environmental harm while promoting economic growth.

She also underscored collaboration on checking air pollution and the pollution in Saint Martin’s Island by managing single-use plastics.

UNOPS Country Manager Sudhir Muralidharan reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s environmental goals, particularly in areas like ecosystem services and climate resilience.

They agreed on the necessity of cooperation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those related to climate actions.

They also discussed capacity-building initiatives to help local authorities and communities better manage environmental challenges.

The meeting ended with a shared commitment to explore further opportunities for collaboration to address Bangladesh’s environmental issues.

The secretary, additional secretary and senior officials from the ministry and UNOPS were present at the meeting.