Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo, MP, has called for stronger regional cooperation, equitable water sharing and technology transfer to strengthen drought resilience.
He made the call at a ministerial dialogue titled “Accelerating Drought Resilience” held Tuesday during the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar.
The minister stressed the need for effective regional cooperation, fair water distribution, sustainable water management and the transfer of advanced technologies to address drought.
He said drought and land degradation are closely linked in Bangladesh. The country's northwestern region is regularly affected by drought and declining groundwater levels, while saltwater intrusion in coastal areas is damaging agricultural land and freshwater sources. Flooding and river erosion are further aggravating the situation.
According to the minister, around 5.46 million hectares of land in northwestern Bangladesh are drought-prone. The region has nearly 16,000 deep tube wells, and excessive groundwater extraction has caused water levels to decline rapidly in many areas. As a result, new irrigation activities have been restricted in some locations.
He also highlighted the Bangladesh Agro-Meteorological Information System (BAMIS), which monitors drought indicators and provides farmers with crop-specific advice through SMS, voice calls and mobile applications.
The minister further said that under the National Green Mission, the government is working to strengthen the country's resilience through large-scale tree plantation and other environmental initiatives.
