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CoMMoN RIVERS

Regional approach a must to resolve water issue

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
A regional approach to management of trans-boundary rivers is crucial to resolve the water issue between Bangladesh and its neighbouring countries, said the experts at a seminar yesterday.
"There must be a regional approach for water management of trans-boundary rivers to resolve the water crisis in Bangladesh as 92 percent of its river water comes from across the border," said Country Representative of IUCN (The World Conservation Union) Dr Ainun Nishat.
Regional approach is imperative both for dry and wet seasons, he said while making a keynote presentation at the seminar on 'Water Management in Bangladesh: Regional Issues and Concerns' organised by the Centre for Strategic and Peace Studies (CSPS) in the city.
Dr Nishat also stressed on efficient management of water resources on the basis of equity and environmental sustainability.
He said it is strange that Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) charter allows bilateral discussion on natural resources, but it does not include river and water resources.
Bangladesh does not have sufficient information on India's inter-river linking project, he said, adding, "Supply of water has to be regarded as a basic human right."
Regarding the Joint River Commission (JRC), Dr Nishat said
certain institutional rigidity both on the part of Bangladesh and India hinders its progress.
"Bangladesh's negotiation on water sharing of international rivers suffers from a serious imbalance in absence of an effective facilitator," said JRC Member Tauhidul Anwar Khan.
"India's river-linking project should not be treated as an ordinary bilateral issue because it has an international dimension," he said, adding, "once the national interest is compromised, it will remain as a damaging precedence."
Around 40 million people in the north-western part of the country
have been the worst victims of river system destruction caused by the withdrawal of water by India, said Chairman of Bangladesh Water Partnership Quamrul Islam Siddique.
With former secretary and ambassador Muslehuddin Ahmad in the chair, the seminar was also addressed by former DG of Water Resources Planning organisation Masroor-ul-Haq Siddiqui, Columnist Sadeq Khan, Dr Asif Nazrul of Dhaka University and Barrister AKH Morshed.
The seminar was moderated by CSPS Executive Director Major General (Retd) M Azizur Rahman.