TDS Desk:

Bangladesh has decided to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) 1992.

The Council of Advisers took this decision at its meeting held at the Chief Adviser’s Office (CAO) here on Thursday with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in the chair.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan briefed reporters about the outcomes of the meeting at the Foreign Service Academy here this afternoon.

She said in managing transboundary watersheds, there are two laws of the United Nations – the Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses 1997 and the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) 1992.

Although the Water Convention 1992 was adopted targeting the countries of the European Union, it was made open for all countries in 2016, Rizwana said, adding so far, 11 countries outside of EU (mostly African countries) signed the convention.

On Thursday we decided that we will ratify the convention ((Water Convention 1992),” she said.

The environment adviser said Bangladesh has already completed all necessary procedures before going to ratify the convention.

She said Bangladesh is the first Asian country which is going to ratify the 1992 water convention.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam was also present at the press briefing.