SYED ASHFAQUL HAQUE

Water is everywhere in and around Bangladesh, yet the lack of freshwater is one of its most pressing concerns.

On the surface of this largest river delta on the planet, the abundance of water is facing serious threats of pollution, river encroachment, flooding, and diversion or obstruction of common river waters by India and China. And beneath the surface, there develops a big hollow due to the overdraw of groundwater for irrigation and industrialisation.

The scarcity of surface water, especially in the dry season, is gradually pushing Bangladesh to depend heavily on groundwater for supply to households, farms, and industries. While the water outlook for one of the most fertile soils in the world is getting grimmer, a highly-acclaimed research holds out a big hope for Bangladesh, dispelling the commonly-shared fear of the groundwater reserve getting drier every year, and a Jakarta-like land subsidence resulting from it.