‘Kollolini’ dialogue calls for stronger river governance, sustained action

"Kollolini: A River Dialogue 2026" concluded in Dhaka with calls for stronger river governance, better implementation and investment, broader participation, and sustained monitoring to help restore Bangladesh's rivers as living systems vital to the country's economy, ecology, culture, and climate resilience.

Held yesterday (24 September) at Aloki Convention Centre under the theme "Knowing Our Rivers, Deciding Together", the dialogue brought together ministers, diplomats, development partners, financial institutions, environmental experts, civil society representatives and young people ahead of World Rivers Day, according to the press release.

The event was convened by the Team Europe Initiative on Climate and Energy in Bangladesh and organised by the European Union, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, with coordination by Red Orange Limited and Deltares.

Participants included representatives of the Ministry of Water Resources; Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives; Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh; France; the Netherlands; Switzerland; Germany; the World Bank; Asian Development Bank (ADB); Green Climate Fund; BGMEA; GIZ; IUCN; Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA); Riverine People; Footsteps; National River Conservation Commission; International Water Management Institute (IWMI); Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB); BUET; and Bangladesh Planning Commission.

The dialogue examined four interconnected priorities: strengthening governance and legal protection; improving implementation, investment, and accountability; ensuring structured multisectoral participation; and sustaining dialogue, learning, and progress monitoring.

The opening session, titled "Understanding Where We Stand, Exploring Where We Go", focused on collective responsibility for protecting and restoring rivers.

AFD Bangladesh Country Director Cynthia Mela said the time for observation had passed and decisive, collective action was needed to begin repairing the relationship between people and rivers.

Dr Michal Krejza, minister counsellor and head of development cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, stressed that climate strategies would remain incomplete unless the rivers sustaining cities, agriculture and ecosystems were restored to health.

French Ambassador Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet said rivers were more than physical waterways, describing them as living connections between a nation's history, culture and everyday survival.

Dutch Ambassador Joris van Bommel said effective river protection required continuous cooperation and shared responsibility among different actors.

After screening the trailer for "BURIGANGA: Forgotten River Mother", water resources and climate expert Malik Fida A Khan, senior adviser at Red Orange, outlined the scale of pollution, encroachment and loss of river connectivity.

A high-level panel moderated by Red Orange Limited Founder and Managing Director Arnob Chakrabarty brought together Asian Development Bank Country Director Qingfeng Zhang, Drik Picture Library film director Tapash Paul and Riverine People Joint Secretary-General Mahabuba Rahman.

Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, MP, attended the session as the chief guest.

"Collective willpower is required," the minister said, stressing the need for strategic approaches that combine structural measures with policy interventions, community engagement, and sustained coordination to protect rivers amid increasing urban and climate pressures.

The first thematic session, titled "From Investment to Impact: Long-Term Collaboration for a Better River", examined how investment could be translated into measurable and lasting outcomes for rivers.

Dr SM Zobaidul Kabir, joint secretary and Delta Wing chief of the General Economics Division of the Bangladesh Planning Commission, chaired the session, and Nishchal Sardjoe of Deltares moderated it.

Speakers included World Bank Senior Environmental Specialist Dr Md Istiak Sobhan; Green Climate Fund Water Resources Management Senior Specialist Dr Bapon Fakhruddin; BGMEA Director and Cute Dress Industry Ltd Managing Director Sheikh Hossain Muhammad Mustafiz; Martina Liebermann of GIZ; Ivan K Landers of the Asian Development Bank; and IUCN Country Representative Bipasha Hossain.

The discussion focused on translating investment into measurable river outcomes, developing long-term plans, incorporating ecological valuation, strengthening private-sector involvement and building partnerships capable of continuing beyond individual project cycles.

The second thematic session, titled "From Plans to Practice: Closing the Implementation and Maintenance Gap in River Governance", examined the challenges of translating policies and plans into sustained action.

State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad, MP, chaired the session, while IWMI's Shreya Chakraborty moderated the discussion.

Representatives from the Netherlands Embassy, Swiss Embassy, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Footsteps and Parlement de la Loire discussed adaptive management, local ownership, education, institutional coordination and long-term maintenance.

"The government is trying its utmost to explore the causes of why our rivers are dying and drying up," the state minister said, referring to the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 and the urgency of reversing river degradation.

The afternoon session, titled "Rivers as Living Entities: From Legal Recognition to River Rights", examined how legal recognition could be translated into practical river protection.

The session opened with a video message from Yuvelis Morales Blanco, judge at the International Rights of Nature Tribunal and a 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize recipient.

Moderated by Farah Anzum, the panel included BELA Chief Executive Taslima Islam; BUET's Dr Sara Nowreen; Emmanuel Schlichter of Rechte der Nature; AFD expert Farid Lamara; and National River Conservation Commission Secretary Md Moniruzzaman Talukder.

Participants stressed that legal recognition alone would not be sufficient without adequate institutional capacity, enforcement mechanisms and political commitment.

Students, artists and civil society representatives also participated in the programme through a River Innovation Hackathon involving university students, poster presentations, river-themed artwork by Drik Gallery and Shunno Art Space, and photography by Abir Abdullah.

The closing session featured Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, MP, as the chief guest and State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shaikh Faridul Islam as the guest of honour.

European Union Ambassador and Head of Delegation Michael Miller, Swiss Ambassador Reto Renggli and German Embassy Deputy Head of Mission Daniel Blum attended as special guests.

"Every river that runs through our land carries the stories of our ancestors and the hopes of our children. When a river dies, a part of our collective memory fades with it. We cannot allow that silence to settle over Bangladesh," Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan said.

"Let Kollolini be a starting point for sustained cooperation, practical action and shared responsibility to restore the health of our rivers and secure their future for generations to come," he added.

The programme concluded with the presentation of the "Kollolini Recommendations", findings from the River Innovation Hackathon, a thematic drama by Friendship and a cultural programme featuring Chirkutt, Bangla Five and F-Minor.

The organisers said the discussions highlighted the need for coordinated political will, practical follow-through and continued collective engagement to protect and restore Bangladesh's rivers.

Kollolini recommendations

Stakeholders called for stronger government leadership to connect ministries, agencies and implementing institutions while maintaining clear mandates and accountability.

They urged authorities to translate the legal status of rivers into practical protection by clarifying institutional responsibilities, strengthening enforcement and ensuring effective representation for river conservation.

Participants called for greater focus on implementing existing policies, plans and initiatives, with systematic attention to gaps in institutional capacity, coordination, financing, enforcement, data, operations and maintenance.

They stressed that credible pathways from river priorities to measurable outcomes should link projects with appropriate financing, technical expertise, safeguards, institutional ownership and long-term operations and maintenance.

Stakeholders said government agencies, development partners, academia, civil society, legal experts, communities, financial institutions, the private sector and young people should work together around a common river agenda.

River-dependent communities and youth should remain central to that process, with policies and solutions informed by lived experience and ideas generated through initiatives such as the River Innovation Hackathon.

Participants called for an ongoing platform, supported by accessible communication mechanisms, to keep commitments, opportunities, lessons and progress visible over time.

They said sustained dialogue and regular monitoring would be necessary to maintain momentum, assess implementation and ensure that commitments made on river protection translate into measurable action.