Dutch support in water management reiterated

The Netherlands yesterday reiterated its willingness to assist Bangladesh in strengthening its water management.
The Dutch assurance came when the Netherlands Ambassador Bea ten Tusscher met with Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen at his office yesterday.
The Netherlands has ongoing commitments of about $200 million dollars for water management projects in the country, all of which are grant funds.
The Dutch envoy said good water management is essential for the security of the people of Bangladesh as it provides protection against floods and cyclones, as well as food security.
She said the rivers and the coastal zone have to be managed adequately by strong, modern and well-managed institutions.
The minister and the envoy focused on the urgent need to strengthen the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and the Water Resources Planning Organisation (WARPO).
Ambassador Tusscher offered the minister assistance in creating new land through an innovative concept, Building with Nature, which is successfully applied by the best water engineers in the Netherlands.
She suggested that all political parties work together to create a 25-year “Delta Plan” with long-term investments to adapt to the effects of climate change in Bangladesh.
The Netherlands has contributed close to $1 billion in development cooperation programmes in Bangladesh over 35 years. The water sector has been the prime focus of the Dutch from the start.
Presently, annual disbursements to the water sector total around $20 million. The Dutch support programme focuses on people's participation in water management and on integrated coastal zone management.
On climate change, the Ambassador said climate change is particularly important for the water sector of Bangladesh. It puts increasing pressure on Bangladesh's water infrastructure.
She said climate change will require new approaches and stronger institutions for water management.
She said in the Netherlands the climate change policies now acknowledge that the forces of nature should not be fought. Instead, nature is made to work for the benefit of the people in creating new land.
“We call it 'Building with Nature' and it is cheaper and it protects the environment better,” the envoy said, adding that the Netherlands has offered Bangladesh a chance to work together and apply the 'Building with Nature' concept to coastal and river management in Bangladesh.
Citing example, she said by effectively harnessing the sediments transported by Bangladesh's main rivers, the country can artificially raise the level of the land along the coast or create natural coastal defenses and Bangladesh can outpace the effects of sea-level rise.