Hasina discusses water resources with Hungarian president

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has highlighted the need for exchange of innovative ideas and technology while discussing water resources with her Hungarian counterpart.

After speaking at the international conference on water resources in Budapest, she met the Hungarian President Janos Ader at Sandor Palace on Monday evening.

Hasina had detailed a seven-point agenda for comprehensive global efforts on water management at the Budapest conference, urging world leaders to prioritise water issues in their policies and actions.

She particularly stressed the need for appropriate policy on sharing trans-national rivers and highlighted its importance for a downstream deltaic country like Bangladesh.

The Hungarian president wanted to know what kind of support Bangladesh was looking for to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change.

Ader also wanted to know how Bangladesh has handled disaster management challenges and problems of sea level rise.

Quoting some research, Hasina told Ader that 20-25 million people in Bangladesh may be forced to relocate due to sea level rise caused by climate change.

She detailed some steps taken by her government to tackle the problems posed by those displaced by climate change.

Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque said that Hasina told Ader Bangladesh was more keen to receive support in new technology and with innovative ideas than financial aid.

"She told the Hungarian president that Bangladesh will have to tackle the problems it faced and cant just depend on help from others. And she said Bangladesh would prefer support in new technology and innovative ideas, rather than financial aid," Haque said.

The Hungarian president has proposed his nation's support in both pisciculture and aquaculture and offered technology for water treatment, Haque said.