Bangladesh team visits hydro instts in India

11 June 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

A Bangladeshi delegation visited a number of water-related institutes and research centres in India from June 2 to 8 to explore the scope of training and higher studies for Bangladeshi water resources professionals at those institutes, says a press release. The five-member team led by Shaikh Md Wahid-uz-Zaman, secretary to water resources ministry, visited different centres in New Delhi, Roorkee and Pune. They examined the possibilities of forging collaboration between various hydrological institutes in Bangladesh and India on technology transfer and information sharing. The visit took place following a decision taken at the secretary-level meeting of the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) held in Dhaka on January this year where the Indian side offered to impart training to Bangladeshi officials at water-related facilities. The delegation also visited Ichchamati river dredging site along common border between Bangladesh and India to observe the progress of dredging work on June 7. This dredging is aimed at easing drainage congestion in the Ichchamati, covering riverbanks on both the sides. Once completed, it would also contribute to the reduction of riverbank erosion. UN Panjiar, secretary to the ministry of water resources of India, SP Kakran, commissioner (Ganges) of India, and MK Samanta, secretary, irrigation and water development of West Bengal, accompanied the Bangladesh team during the visits. Both sides expressed satisfaction over the progress of the dredging work.