Experts emphasised on Sunday equity and efficacy in water resource management to establish water governance for sustainable development.
They expressed grave concern over inefficient and excessive use of groundwater in producing agriculture crops.
They said the present trend of development in Bangladesh which only focuses on economic growth will not sustain and the country must act in coherence with the UN's global goal for water.
Experts said this at a national seminar titled 'Securing sustainable water for all' to observe the World Water Day-2015 at the auditorium of Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) in the city. The theme of this year's World Water Day is Water and Sustainable Development.
DPHE, PSU, UNIC, Unicef, The World Bank, Oxfam, Bangladesh WaSH Alliance and NGO Forum for Public Health jointly organised the seminar.
LGD Secretary-in-Charge of LGRD and Cooperatives Ministry Abdul Malek attended the seminar as the chief guest.
Professor of Department of Civil Engineering at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) Mujibur Rahman presented a keynote paper on securing safe water for sustainable development.
He suggested taking policies for water and sustainable development for equitable use of freshwater resources, efficient water use for irrigation and community rain water harvesting as a source of fresh water.
He said the current growth rates of agricultural demands on the world's fresh water resources are unsustainable.
Globally agriculture is the largest user of water, accounting for 70 per cent of total withdrawal; he said adding that by 2050, agriculture would need to produce 60 per cent more food globally, and 100 per cent more in the developing countries.
He said Bangladesh is facing Tk 500 billion in losses due to environmental degradation yearly while the amount is around Tk 100 billion due to water pollution in Dhaka.
Speaking as the chief guest LGD Secretary-in-Charge Abdul Malek said water shortages have been identified as one of the top three global risks of highest concern to governments across the world.
"In Bangladesh livelihoods of about 75 per cent people are more or less dependent on agricultural irrigation. Currently about 98 per cent of drinking water and 80 per cent of dry season irrigation water supply is dependent on groundwater," he said.
He mentioned that Bangladesh faces an annual loss of US$ 800 million due to lack of safe water and sanitation facilities.
He urged to continue the fight against arsenic contamination in Bangladesh that often seems to be downplayed. Bangladesh will try to incorporate the unachievable targets in the Post-2015 Development Agenda and the government has already progressed to that direction.
EU First Secretary Gonzalo Serrano said Bangladesh is exposed to extreme weather events which are more frequent and more damaging.
Ambassador of Switzerland Christian Fotsch, Chief Engineer of DPHE Khaleda Ahsan, Managing Director of Dhaka WASA Taqsem A Khan and water, sanitation and hygiene specialist of Unicef Md Shofiqul Alam were present, among others, at the programme.
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