Water is a question of life and death for Bangladesh

The minister was addressing the high-level meeting of the UN Commission for Sustainable Development at its 13th session.

He said that international water courses feed the people of the entire basin and any unilateral withdrawal of water by the upper riparian gravely affects agriculture, fishing, navigation, bio-diversity and the whole eco-system at the other end. Any water infrastructure build in the upstream must take into account the economic, social and ecological impact down stream, he said.

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Hafiz suggested formulation of international rules and standards in this regard and their implementation particularly on trans-boundary flow of water to ensure equitable and fair distribution of this precious resource.

He also highlighted the plight of the people due to trace of arsenic in shallow aquifers in Bangladesh which further contributed to the pollution of water. Salinity intrusion due to lean flow of rivers in dry season was another threat to freshwater supply along the coastal regions, he added.

He stressed the need for further international assistance, both technical and financial, for purification and desalination efforts, as well as for preservation of bio-diversity of the country.

The current session is being attended by a large number of high-levelz participants, including cabinet ministers from both developed and developing countries.

The session will conclude today.