Rethink river management for Delta Plan
Bangladesh needs more integrated and long-term river management to make its Delta Plan effective, with stronger coordination among government, businesses and local communities, Netherlands Ambassador to Bangladesh Joris van Bommel said on Monday.
Calling for deeper Bangladesh-Netherlands cooperation in water governance, climate adaptation and maritime development, he said the two countries shared the experience of living with rivers, deltas, embankments and the sea.
Speaking at the Bay of Bengal Conversation at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka, van Bommel said water-related challenges crossed national boundaries and therefore required cooperation beyond political borders.
“Our country’s challenges do not stop at national borders. Our thinking and perspective should not be limited by national boundaries either,” he said.
The ambassador identified three interconnected priorities: better management of water resources, harnessing the potential of the Bay of Bengal, and building institutions and public trust capable of turning these opportunities into inclusive and sustainable development.
Drawing parallels between the two countries, he said the Netherlands was shaped by the Rhine and Meuse rivers, while Bangladesh depended on the Padma, Teesta, Meghna and Jamuna.
The river systems of both countries, he noted, were linked to waterways crossing national boundaries.
For Bangladesh, effective water management and water security were crucial for agriculture, food security, livelihoods, economic growth and climate resilience, he said.
Referring to the government’s plan to dredge 10,000 kilometres of canals and waterways, van Bommel said the Dutch experience showed that successful water management required integrated planning, technical expertise, sustained investment and close cooperation among government agencies, businesses and local communities.
“Environmentally friendly and innovative Dutch solutions can directly contribute to Bangladesh’s canal and waterway dredging programme,” he said.
He also stressed stronger transboundary river management and more effective Joint River Commissions between Bangladesh and its neighbours.
“National and international borders do not apply to water,” he said, referring to the complexities of managing rivers that flow through several countries before reaching the sea.
As a partner of Bangladesh under the UN Water Convention, the Netherlands is providing training to Joint River Commission officials on international water law and water diplomacy, he said.
Such capacity-building would help Bangladesh negotiate its fair share of transboundary water resources on the basis of reliable data, he added.
Van Bommel also linked water governance with Bangladesh’s broader economic ambitions, saying long-term investment in water infrastructure, waterways, ports and the maritime sector depended on effective management of the country’s water resources.
Turning to the Bay of Bengal, he described it as a “strategic and global gateway” with significant potential for regional trade, maritime connectivity, fisheries, energy and economic growth.
He said that potential should generate tangible benefits for coastal communities, fishermen, young people and regional supply chains.
At the same time, climate change, sea-level rise, marine pollution and growing pressure on marine ecosystems posed serious threats to the Bay’s sustainability, he said.
He called for greater regional cooperation on maritime connectivity, coastal resilience, sustainable aquaculture and marine environmental protection, alongside efforts to maintain freedom of navigation and maritime security.
The Netherlands, he said, could share its expertise in maritime and water resource management to develop solutions suited to the region.
A sustainable and well-connected Bay of Bengal would provide a stronger foundation for investment in ports and the wider maritime economy, he said, referring to discussions on possible Dutch investment in Laldia Port through Dutch terminals.
Van Bommel also stressed that effective water governance and economic development depended on strong institutions.
“Trust, democracy, and the rule of law are the fundamental pillars of inclusive and sustainable development,” he said.
He called for stronger multilateral cooperation on climate change, food security, maritime affairs and international security, saying the Netherlands supported international law, a stronger United Nations and an orderly rules-based international system.
For Bangladesh, he said, strong institutions, independent oversight and transparent governance were essential.
“Public trust deepens when institutions serve citizens with integrity, public resources are managed transparently, and the law applies equally to all,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of institutional reform and an independent and robust National Human Rights Commission to protect fundamental rights, strengthen the rule of law and ensure accountability.
Predictable rules and stronger rule of law would also improve investor confidence and encourage long-term investment in Bangladesh, he said.
Van Bommel said Bangladesh, the Netherlands and other Bay of Bengal countries could deepen cooperation in water management, climate adaptation, sustainable agriculture, maritime development and trade.
“Our goal is to build the expertise, trust, and resilience necessary to tackle future challenges and achieve inclusive, sustainable development,” he said.
