Water Resources Minister Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud has said the government will place the regional water issue at the international forum if it fails to realise an equitable share of water of trans-boundary rivers through negotiations with India.
“We want to resolve the water problems through negotiations with India. Definitely, we’ll go to the international forum, if we fail to realise the equitable share of water of the common rivers,” he told reporters yesterday on the sidelines of a workshop here.
Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) in association with Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia, jointly organised the workshop on a research titled “Bangladesh Integrated Water Resources Assessment” at Brac Centre Inn.
Anisul Islam Mahmud said the parliamentary elections were being held in India and the Bangladesh government would launch a fresh move after the polls to talk to the new Indian government to pave way for solution to the longstanding Teesta water problem.
About the rampant pollution of Dhaka’s surrounding rivers, he said the government had plans to take an integrated project to restore Buriganga river, the lifeline of capital Dhaka, by bringing water from Jamuna.
State Minister for Water Resources Muhammad Nazrul Islam, Water Resources Secretary Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan, High Commissioner of Australia to Bangladesh Greg Wilcock, Buet Professor Dr UK Nevera, vice-president of Bangladesh Water Partnership Dr K Azharul Haq and IWM Executive Director Prof Dr Monowar Hossain, among others, spoke at the workshop.
CSIRO water expert Mac Kirby made a power-point presentation highlighting the findings of a study conducted on Bangladesh’s water problem.
Addressing the workshop as the chief guest, Anisul Islam Mahmud said the feasibility study to set up a Ganges barrage had already been completed, which would help resolve the water crisis in the country’s southern region.
About the project’s economic return, he said the country would be able to recover the project cost of Tk4 billion within five years after its implementation.
The Water Resources minister stressed the need for restructuring of the coastal polders to make them eco-friendly and to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change.
The water, irrigation and prosperity are interlinked, he said, asking the Indian government to provide equitable share of the common rivers’ water to Bangladesh under the international laws.
In his address, State Minister for Water Resources Muhammad Nazrul Islam said the trans-boundary water problem was severe in the South Asia region.
“The government is trying its best to resolve the water issue.”
