Bangladesh needs visionary parties for better water management: Dutch envoy
Wednesday, 4 June 2008
Ambassador of the Netherlands Bea Ten Tusscher Tuesday said Bangladesh needs visionary parties, stronger planning and efficient implementing agencies for better water management and combating climate change, as she said, this deltaic country loses vast landmass each year and faces other adversities, reports UNB.
"Visionary parties, which think beyond typical party boundaries, and which deliver results are needed. Because, such parties can count on the continued support of the people," she said at the Meet the Press organised by the National Press Club at its lounge in the city.
Ms Tusscher, who focused on the Dutch experience in water management as well as cooperation with Bangladesh in this sector, reflected upon how this country could manage river erosion and harness sediments carried by the rivers.
She also offered the Dutch cooperation in forging regional cooperation among three co-riparian countries-Bangladesh, India and Nepal-with expertise in effective management of river waters. On the havoc of river erosion, the Ambassador said each year some 10,000 hectares of land were swallowed by the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna. In the Netherlands, they had trained their rivers to prevent this by constructing various infrastructures to check the spread of the rivers.
"But, we have also learned that you cannot only fight against nature. We have experienced that in order to be most successful you must 'Build with Nature. And that principle can also be applied to Bangladesh."
She said that 'Building with Nature' had huge potential for river management as well as for the formation of new land and new polders. Citing an example, she said two crossdams constructed near Noakhali in the 1960s led to the creation of over 100,000 hectares of new land.
The Ambassador said if the principles of building with nature are applied actively and consistently, Bangladesh could gain new land every year. By harnessing the sediments carried by the rivers Bangladesh could outpace sea-level rise.
Ms Tusscher said huge funds were invested in the river training in the past, but, for lack of maintenance and manpower, it did not give optimum benefit. Bangladesh needed stronger planning and implementation agencies for better water management
"Visionary parties, which think beyond typical party boundaries, and which deliver results are needed. Because, such parties can count on the continued support of the people," she said at the Meet the Press organised by the National Press Club at its lounge in the city.
Ms Tusscher, who focused on the Dutch experience in water management as well as cooperation with Bangladesh in this sector, reflected upon how this country could manage river erosion and harness sediments carried by the rivers.
She also offered the Dutch cooperation in forging regional cooperation among three co-riparian countries-Bangladesh, India and Nepal-with expertise in effective management of river waters. On the havoc of river erosion, the Ambassador said each year some 10,000 hectares of land were swallowed by the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna. In the Netherlands, they had trained their rivers to prevent this by constructing various infrastructures to check the spread of the rivers.
"But, we have also learned that you cannot only fight against nature. We have experienced that in order to be most successful you must 'Build with Nature. And that principle can also be applied to Bangladesh."
She said that 'Building with Nature' had huge potential for river management as well as for the formation of new land and new polders. Citing an example, she said two crossdams constructed near Noakhali in the 1960s led to the creation of over 100,000 hectares of new land.
The Ambassador said if the principles of building with nature are applied actively and consistently, Bangladesh could gain new land every year. By harnessing the sediments carried by the rivers Bangladesh could outpace sea-level rise.
Ms Tusscher said huge funds were invested in the river training in the past, but, for lack of maintenance and manpower, it did not give optimum benefit. Bangladesh needed stronger planning and implementation agencies for better water management