The Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee on Tuesday called for a stronger partnership with World Bank to secure sustainable water resource management and address Bangladesh’s escalating climate vulnerabilities.
The minister made the call during a bilateral meeting with World Bank Bangladesh Mission Chief Jean Pesme, held in the conference room of Ministry of Water Resources at Secretariat.
Senior officials from both the ministry and the global financial institution were present at the discussion.
Highlighting the country’s growing environmental struggles, Anee emphasised that challenges such as floods, river erosion, waterlogging, salinity, and drought are intensifying daily due to climate change.
He stressed the urgent need to formulate integrated, long-term strategic plans to mitigate these rising threats.
The government, Anee noted, is actively executing various initiatives to minimise the damage caused by river erosion and floods, alongside carrying out the excavation and re-excavation of rivers, canals, and other water bodies across the country.
Reaffirming the organisation’s commitment, Pesme pledged that World Bank would continue its support to develop Bangladesh’s water resources and enhance its climate resilience.
He highlighted the critical importance of integrated water resources planning, the deployment of modern technology, institutional capacity building, and sustainable development.
The meeting also reviewed the progress of ongoing projects in the water sector, potential areas for future co-operation, and other matters of mutual interest.
