Dhaka, Beijing deepen bilateral cooperation in water resources management

To implement the consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus in Beijing earlier this year, in which both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen cooperation in the water resources sector, the water resources ministry hosted a high-level technical delegation from China from 27 July to 1 August in Dhaka and other locations across the country.

This visit marks a significant step forward in the long-standing partnership between the two nations in the water resources sector.

The Chinese delegation was led by Xu Zhaoming, chief planner of the Changjiang Water Resources Commission, under the water resources ministry of China. The delegation included senior engineers and experts from CWRC, the CISPDR Corporation, and the International Economic & Technical Cooperation and Exchange Centre of China's water resource ministry.

On the Bangladesh side, the engagement was led by Md Enayet Ullah, director general, Bangladesh Water Development Board. Senior officials from the Water Resources Planning Organisation, the River Research Institute, and other technical agencies participated in the discussions.

During the five-day visit, the delegation conducted extensive field visits to key areas affected by waterlogging, river pollution, salinity intrusion, and erosion, including the Buriganga River, Bhabadah in Jashore, and Polder 31 in Khulna's Dacope region.

On 31 July, a bilateral technical meeting was held at Pani Bhaban, Dhaka, where both sides exchanged views on deepening cooperation, and agreed to enhance the cooperation in water resources planning to promote sustainable, resilient, and inclusive water resources development. Both sides had discussion on the restoration of the Buriganga river.