Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday called for an immediate shift from groundwater dependence to surface water use to ensure sustainable water management in Bangladesh.
He made the call while addressing a seminar marking World Water Day 2026 at the auditorium of the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) in Kakrail.
The minister warned that ensuring access to safe drinking water has become increasingly challenging due to climate change, population growth and unplanned urbanisation.
He noted that excessive reliance on groundwater, particularly in Dhaka, has put the city’s water supply system at risk.
“To address this, we must expand the use of surface water, conserve rivers and reservoirs, and adopt modern water treatment technologies,” he said.
The seminar was chaired by Local Government Division Secretary Md.Shahidul Hasan. Among others present were DPHE Chief Engineer Md Abdul Awal, UNICEF representative Stanley Gwavuya and WHO representative Ahmed Jamsheed Mohamed.
Highlighting inequality in water access, the minister said low-income urban residents and slum dwellers face greater difficulties in obtaining safe water, describing the disparity as a pressing humanitarian and development issue.
He stressed the need for coordinated initiatives by government and non-government organisations to address the problem.
In his remarks, Secretary Md Shahidul Hasan said the government is implementing various development projects to ensure safe water supply across the country.
He emphasised strengthening local government institutions and called for long-term planning to achieve sustainable water management.
Speakers at the seminar also underscored the need to prevent water pollution, enhance public awareness and adopt technology-based solutions. They noted that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals would be difficult without effective planning and implementation in the water sector.
