Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan on Saturday urged all to preserve the rainwater for recharging the groundwater table to avert human disasters to be caused by the fall in the groundwater.
“Due to climate change, the global temperature is increasing day by day. From such changes, not only in Bangladesh, but also people in the whole world are being affected,”
he said this while addressing a seminar at Swadhinata Hall in the city’s Segunbagicha area.South Asian Peoples Forum organized the seminar titled ‘Fall in Groundwater and Preserving Rainwater to Recharge Groundwater’ with its President Lovely Yasmin in the chair.
Member of Parliament (MP) Hazera Sultana and water expert Enamul Haque addressed the seminar, among others.
The minister said the government has taken various measures to protect the country from natural disasters.
Work is underway to ease the transpiration system in the South Asia through highways, railways and waterways, Shajahan said, adding that road communication has already started among Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan.
Ships are plying through the waterways between Bangladesh and India, he added. The government is working to realize the legitimate share of the international rivers in the South Asia, the minister said, adding that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signed a treaty with India in 1996 to realize the legitimate share of the Ganges river water. There were 24,000 kilometers of river routes in the country and most of those got lost due to carelessness of different governments, Shajahan said, adding that 1,500 kilometers of river routes have already been excavated to restore the rivers and their navigability. The Awami League government procured 14 dredgers from 2009 to 2013 while a process is underway to procure more 20 dredgers, he said.
