Published: 12:12 AM, 26 August 2026
Mintoo calls for fair water distribution to strengthen drought resilience
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo has called for stronger regional cooperation, equitable water distribution and technology transfer to enhance drought resilience and combat land degradation.
He made the remarks on Tuesday while addressing a ministerial dialogue titled "Accelerating Drought Resilience" at the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The minister said drought and land degradation are closely interconnected in Bangladesh, particularly in the country's northwestern region, where communities are increasingly facing water shortages and declining groundwater levels.
"Some 5.46 million hectares of land in northwestern Bangladesh are drought-prone," Mintoo said. He noted that groundwater levels are rapidly declining in many areas due to excessive extraction through around 16,000 deep tube wells, limiting the scope for expanding irrigation.
He also highlighted the growing threat of salinity intrusion in coastal areas, which is damaging agricultural land and freshwater sources. The combined impacts of drought, floods and river erosion are further intensifying the country's environmental and agricultural challenges, he added.
Mintoo stressed the need for effective water management across the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin and greater cooperation among neighboring countries. Ensuring adequate water flows during the dry season, he said, is essential to addressing land degradation and building long-term drought resilience.
He called for basin-based cooperation and equitable water distribution to be recognized as key pillars of drought resilience. He also urged UNCCD member states to develop an international framework for drought resilience based on early preparedness, adequate financing and effective regional cooperation.
Ministers, deputy ministers and heads of delegations from various countries attended the dialogue. Representatives of international and regional organizations, including the FAO, ESCAP, IOM, UNICEF, UNDRR, IFAD, AIIB and the African Union, also participated as observers.
