Bangladesh has called for equitable and reasonable use of shared water resources and urged international partners to turn water security commitments into concrete, measurable action.
Dr Saimum Parvez, special assistant to the prime minister on Environment, Forest and Climate Change Affairs, made the call at a high-level event titled "United for Water: A Call for Collective Action" at UN headquarters in New York on Friday.
Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia organized the event on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly to focus on water security, climate change and cooperation in managing shared water resources.
“Water connects us. It sustains people, economies and ecosystems. It crosses borders and underpins shared prosperity,” Dr Parvez said in his opening remarks.
He noted that climate change, rising demand and mounting pressure on freshwater are making water security increasingly difficult to achieve through national action alone.
Dr Parvez noted that shared rivers and aquifers require equitable and reasonable use, regular dialogue, timely data exchange and sound science, with mutual trust underpinning effective cooperation.
He also mentioned the importance of sustaining cooperative arrangements as climate change makes water flows increasingly unpredictable.
Calling for practical support for countries facing heightened vulnerability, he said, Climate-vulnerable countries need accessible finance, appropriate technology and capacity for resilient water infrastructure and services.”
Dr Parvez said Bangladesh, a densely populated delta and lower-riparian nation, is confronting interconnected challenges, including floods, water scarcity, river erosion, waterlogging, groundwater stress and coastal salinity.
He highlighted Bangladesh’s ongoing efforts to restore rivers, canals and drainage systems, strengthen flood management and salinity control, and expand technology-based groundwater monitoring.
He also highlighted the Government’s priority on water and environmental resilience as central pillars of national development.
On regional cooperation, he said: “Bangladesh calls for sustained dialogue among riparian countries, equitable and reasonable use of shared waters, transparent data sharing and stronger international partnerships.”
Bangladesh’s recent accession to the 1992 UN Water Convention reflects the country’s commitment to strengthening international cooperation over shared water resources, he added.
Dr Parvez reaffirmed Bangladesh’s readiness to share its experience and work with international partners to mobilize knowledge, finance and technology on water resources.