Separate policy needed to address water crisis in coastal areas: Speakers
The participants highlighted the need for innovative solutions to improve water access and quality in the region
![The Participatory Research and Action Network (PRAN) organised a workshop on rights to safe water in Khulna on Saturday (2 November). Photo: TBS](https://947631.windlasstrade-hk.tech/sites/default/files/styles/big_2/public/images/2024/11/02/khulna.jpg)
Speakers at a workshop today (2 November) called for the formulation of a dedicated policy to tackle water crisis in coastal areas.
At the workshop organised by the Participatory Research and Action Network (PRAN) in Khulna, speakers highlighted that residents in the coastal region continue to face a severe shortage of safe drinking water.
They stated that the regular consumption of saline water has led to widespread health issues, particularly non-communicable diseases.
The participants highlighted the need for innovative solutions to improve water access and quality in the region.
Speaking at the event, lawyer Mominul Islam, Khulna district coordinator of the Bangladesh Society for the Enforcement of Human Rights (BSEHR), criticised the existing water management laws and policies as outdated and inadequate for addressing the specific needs of coastal communities.
He emphasised formulating a separate freshwater management law for the southern coastal region, acknowledging its distinct geographical and ecological characteristics.
Mahfuzur Rahman Mukul, Khulna divisional coordinator of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), proposed the construction of additional ponds to capture rainwater and the distribution of water storage tanks to households.