Bangladesh has decided to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, commonly known as the Water Convention of 1992.
The Council of Advisers made the decision at a meeting held on Thursday at the chief adviser’s office, with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus presiding.
Adviser for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Syeda Rizwana Hasan, briefed reporters on the outcomes of the meeting at the Foreign Service Academy in the afternoon.
She noted that, in managing transboundary watersheds, two UN conventions are relevant — the 1997 Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses and the 1992 Water Convention.
"Although the 1992 Water Convention was initially adopted for European countries, it was opened to all nations in 2016,” Rizwana said.
“So far, 11 non-European countries — mostly in Africa — have ratified the convention. Today, we decided that Bangladesh will ratify the 1992 Water Convention,” she announced.
The environment adviser added that Bangladesh has already completed all the necessary procedures required prior to ratification.
She further said that Bangladesh will become the first Asian country to ratify the 1992 Water Convention.
