Pantho Rahaman
Dhaka, 23 June 2025:
In a landmark move toward strengthening transboundary water cooperation, Bangladesh has officially joined the United Nations Water Convention, becoming the first South Asian nation and the 56th country globally to accede to the international treaty.
The Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (UN Water Convention) provides a unique legal and intergovernmental framework to ensure sustainable and equitable use of shared water resources. For Bangladesh, a delta country intricately linked to 57 transboundary rivers, this step signals a strategic commitment to regional water diplomacy and climate resilience.
Home to the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) river system—shared with China, Nepal, Bhutan, and India—Bangladesh’s water security depends heavily on upstream cooperation. Climate change has intensified the challenges, with rising sea levels, saltwater intrusion, unpredictable river flows, and extreme floods threatening the country’s 170 million people.
“Climate change, population growth, and increasing demand for water highlights the urgency of responsible and cooperative transboundary water management,” said Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser for Environment, Forest and Climate Change. “By learning from international best practices through the UN Water Convention, we can strengthen our policies and ensure water security for our people.”
Bangladesh faces some of the world’s highest flood risks. Nearly 60% of its population is exposed to high flood risk, and 45% to riverine flooding—the highest such exposure globally. Each year, 20–25% of the country’s land is submerged; in extreme cases, this rises to 60%.
Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), welcomed Bangladesh’s accession:
“Faced with climate impacts and growing pressure on water resources, more countries are turning to the UN Water Convention. Bangladesh sets an example for the South Asian region.”
The decision follows a national workshop held in Dhaka on 24 March, part of a broader regional engagement campaign by the Convention Secretariat. Bangladesh has engaged with the Convention since 2012 and attended its 10th Meeting of the Parties in Slovenia in October 2024.
The country already has established mechanisms for cross-border water cooperation, including the Joint Rivers Commission with India. Joining the UN Water Convention is expected to bolster Bangladesh’s role in shaping regional and global water governance.
Sonja Koeppel, Secretary to the UN Water Convention, encouraged other South Asian countries to follow suit:
“The Convention offers a proven platform for collaboration. We look forward to welcoming more countries at the next UN Water Conference in the UAE this December 2026.”
As climate challenges escalate, Bangladesh’s move is being hailed as a timely and strategic step toward collective water security in South Asia.
Source: United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office in Bangladesh
