‘Save Water, Plant Trees, Fight Global Warming’

Experts state, “Saving just 1 litre of water daily can conserve 345 billion litres annually.”

To mark World Water Day, the Bangladesh Water Works Association (BWWA) organised a human chain on Saturday, March 22, at 3:30 PM in front of the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building on Manik Mia Avenue in the capital. Following the demonstration, an iftar gathering was held at Green Garden Restaurant in Daffodil Plaza, Sobhanbagh. During the event, the BWWA also unveiled its souvenir.

The global water crisis has reached alarming levels, with nearly 2.2 billion people lacking access to safe drinking water. This year’s World Water Day theme focused on glacier conservation, drawing attention to the devastating effects of global warming.

Mohammad Zobair Hasan, Secretary of the International Water Association (IWA) Bangladesh Chapter, said, “Glaciers in the northern hemisphere are melting rapidly, leading to riverbank erosion and increasing natural disasters. As a result, many villagers are forced to migrate to cities, becoming climate refugees. This vicious cycle, driven by climate change, is causing severe disruptions in water distribution.”

He added, “Groundwater levels are decreasing, droughts are intensifying, and salinity intrusion is worsening the situation. In particular, the flow of saline water in southwestern Bangladesh is a major threat to both agriculture and drinking water.”

Zobair Hasan stressed the urgent need for afforestation, stating, “To mitigate global warming, we must plant more trees. If we don’t take immediate action, the water crisis will become even more severe.”

Anwar Hossain, the founding president of BWWA, highlighted the importance of community involvement in water conservation. “Since 2019, we have been observing World Water Day in line with UN guidelines. In addition to government efforts, social organisations must also step up to raise public awareness,” he said.

With the slogan ‘Save Glaciers, Save Lives,’ the BWWA drew attention to the importance of glaciers as a source of safe drinking water. According to the United Nations, only 2.1% of the world’s glaciers provide usable water, and if glacier melting is prevented, these reserves could last for the next 100–200 years.

Anwar Hossain underscored the importance of conserving water, saying, “If every person globally saves just 1 litre of water per day, we could conserve 345 billion litres of water annually. In international hotels, water pressure is set to 0.1%. If we reduce water flow by 50%, we can prevent a significant amount of wastage.”

He also pointed out practical measures during Ramadan, adding, “It only takes 500 millilitres of water to perform ablution five times a day, and even bathing can be done with the same amount of water if necessary.”

Other speakers highlighted the water scarcity issue in Bangladesh, where nearly 40% of the population, or around 70 million people, lack access to safe water. In such a situation, water conservation and afforestation efforts become even more crucial. According to forestry data, Bangladesh’s forest cover spans about 17.4% of the country’s total land area (2.6 million hectares), playing a vital role in preserving biodiversity. However, more effective measures are needed to protect forests.

With the threat of climate change growing, it is imperative to take immediate, effective steps to conserve water. A combination of policy changes, social awareness, and individual responsibility is needed to ensure the future of water resources in Bangladesh and worldwide.