Khulna: Water and climate expert Dr Ainun Nishat has issued a stark warning that salinity levels in Khulna city’s water could reach near-ocean levels within the next 50 years. This alarming increase poses significant threats to the biodiversity of the Sundarbans as well as agricultural productivity in Bangladesh’s southwestern region.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Dr Nishat highlighted the potential decline in the number of Sundari trees in the Sundarbans if salinity continues to rise. During a session at the Third Coastal Water Conference, held at Khulna’s CSS Ava Centre, he cautioned that Goran trees, which are more salt-tolerant, could become more prevalent. Additionally, he warned of major biodiversity changes, including the proliferation of salt-tolerant pests and the possible halving of conventional agricultural crop yields.
Dr Nishat emphasized the urgent need for repairing coastal embankments and increasing the use of surface water to reduce reliance on groundwater. He stated that without protecting water sources, sustaining the population in this region could become extremely challenging. The conference, titled ‘Water and Ecosystem Protection for Sustainable Development,’ addressed various issues such as desalination, rainwater harvesting, climate change impacts, and water scarcity.
Speakers at the conference underscored the increasing humanitarian and public health risks due to the worsening safe water crisis in the southwestern region. Many people are forced to use saline water in the absence of alternatives, leading to serious long-term health hazards. They highlighted water justice as a fundamental human right and called for integrated water management as a state responsibility.
On the final day of the conference, a Khulna Declaration with 12-point recommendations was adopted to tackle the escalating water crisis in coastal and vulnerable regions of Bangladesh. The declaration recognized water as a fundamental environmental element and called for ensuring safe water as a universal right. Key recommendations included formulating an independent water policy, abolishing the lease system of natural water bodies, halting unplanned shrimp farming on agricultural land, and dredging rivers and canals.
More than 400 participants, including academicians, researchers, development workers, and journalists, attended the conference. Shamim Arefin, member secretary of the Water Conference Committee, presented the declaration, which will be shared with elected governments and political parties. Organizers expressed the hope of organizing the Bangladesh Water Conference in 2028.