Coordination among ministries essential

Inter-ministerial coordination is the need of the day for efficient management of Bangladesh's water and energy resources which are scarce, speakers told a national seminar yesterday.
They also emphasised raising voice at the policy level for finding ways to save freshwater resources for sustainable socio-economic growth.
The seminar, “Saving Water is Saving Energy, was held in the capital's Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) auditorium.
The DPHE, United Nations Information Centre, Unicef, World Bank, Bangladesh WASH Alliance, Japan International Cooperation Agency, and NGO Forum for Public Health jointly organised the seminar marking World Water Day, observed on March 22.
Presenting a keynote paper, Prof Mujibur Rahman of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology said Bangladesh's inaction over environmental degradation resulted in a national economic loss of Tk 44,633 crore (USD 5.7 billion).
This was over four percent of Bangladesh's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the 2012-13 fiscal, which was Tk 1,037,987 crore (USD 133.0 billion), he said, adding that the loss was increasing alongside the GDP each year.
Experts of the sectors strongly urged introducing “public disclosure of environmental information” as in developed countries.
Addressing as chief guest, Additional Secretary to the Local Government Division, Ministry of the LGRD and Cooperatives Zuena Aziz stressed on reforming water governance for planned utilisation of water resources.
She said keeping the post-Millennium Development Goals era in mind, sustainable development should be targeted for inclusive economic growth.
Planned use of procedures and technology and use of existing and alternative methods for promoting water conservation should be included in water governance, she added.
SM Ihtishamul Huq, in another keynote paper, recommended engaging union parishads in mapping water sources to effectively ensure safe water coverage.
Prof Ainun Nishat said it was high time for action at the micro level where people still have to travel three to four kilometres to collect drinking water. DPHE Chief Engineer Md Nuruzzaman presided over the seminar.
Gonzalo SERRANO, first secretary, Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh; Charlie Hrachya Sargsyan, chief, WaSH Section, Unicef; and Mirva Tuulia Moilanen, team task leader, Water and Sanitation Program-South Asia, World Bank, also spoke as special guests.