The state minister for foreign affairs has pitched for “efficient” management of trans-boundary water resources for the prosperity of the South Asia region.
Published : 15 Jul 2016, 11:00 PM
Md Shahriar Alam, speaking at a seminar in India’s Meghalaya state on Friday, stressed on “basin-wide management” of rivers.
“It has been some time now that Bangladesh is promoting the idea of basin-wide management in various levels of interactions with the riparian countries including at the BBIN (Bangladesh-Bhutan-Nepal-India) forum,” he said.
“The prosperity of South Asia region depends largely on efficient management of trans-boundary water resources. However, this needs cooperation from all co-riparian countries.
“We see the examples of basin-wide management throughout the globe and the benefits they are providing to the river itself and the peoples of their common basin area.”
Alam was speaking on the first day of the two-day Asian Confluence River Festival ‘Nadi 2016’ that began in state capital Shillong on Friday.
India’s railway minister, Bangladesh’s civil aviation and tourism minister and the chief ministers of Meghalaya and Mizoram were present, among others.
The Asian Confluence and the Government of Meghalaya are co-organising the event which is attended by the experts of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan.
Cooperation or conflict
State Minster Shahriar said understanding rivers is essential to understand the 21st century's environmental as well as developmental needs.
Globally, the riverine ecosystem is facing crisis- crisis that emanates from increased human need. The drivers of river degradation are numerous, he said.
As many as 57 rivers that flow through Bangladesh down to the Bay of Bengal are international rivers. Out of these, 54 rivers are coming through Indian territory.
“Technically speaking, these can elicit cooperation or conflict,” the state minister said.
“The choice between the two will in large part be determined by perceptions of their relative benefits,” he said.
“The historians would agree, all international rivers create some degree of tension among the societies that they bind.”
He, however, said mutual respect and understanding of each other’s perspectives has matured the Bangladesh-India relations over the years.
Citing World Bank report, he said one fundamental lesson of universal experience is that river is best managed as a basin unit.
The prime ministers of Bangladesh and India in their Joint Declaration in June 2015 recalled the Article-2 of the Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development of 2011.
They also reiterated their commitment to address the issue of water resources management of common rivers including water sharing in a “holistic manner through common basin management.”
“In fact to get the benefit from the rivers, we have to provide benefit to rivers as well,” the state minister said.
“This would help accrue multiple benefits like dry season flow augmentation, increased irrigation and food production, hydro-power generation, flood management, increased fish production, increased navigational facility, resist salinity intrusion, combat climate change impacts, improve water quality and over all environment of the basin.”