Khulna, Jan 25, 2026: The Third Coastal Water Convention–2026 got underway in Khulna on Sunday, bringing together water experts, academics, and civil society representatives to address the deepening water crisis in Bangladesh’s south-western coastal areas.
Organised by AOSED, a Khulna-based non-government organisation, the three-day event is being held in collaboration with nearly 60 partner organisations, including public universities, professional bodies, journalists’ groups, and development-focused NGOs.
The convention was inaugurated at the CSS Ava Centre in Khulna city by prominent water specialist Prof Dr Ainun Nishat, adviser to the Centre for Climate Change and Environment Research, who attended the opening ceremony as chief guest at around 12:30 pm.
The inaugural session was presided over by Dr Md Khairul Islam, Regional Director of WaterAid for the South Asian region. The programme was moderated by Md Shamim Arefeen, executive director of AOSED and member secretary of the convention organising committee.
A number of distinguished speakers addressed the gathering, including Prof Dr Kazi Maruful Islam of Dhaka University, Prof Anwarul Quadir of the Sundarban Academy, Abul Kalam Azad from ActionAid, ATM Zakir Hossain, executive director of Jagrata Juba Sangho (JJS), Soma Dutta of Manusher Janno Foundation, and Deb Prosad Sarker, executive director of LoCOS.
Throughout the convention, participants will take part in workshops, seminars, policy dialogues, documentary screenings, cultural events, and a concluding session.
Speakers highlighted a range of interconnected challenges affecting coastal water security, including disruption of natural tidal systems, riverbank erosion, sedimentation, increasing salinity, environmental pollution, governance failures, climate-induced vulnerability, declining community control over water resources, and the erosion of indigenous water management knowledge. They warned that poorly planned human interventions, carried out without sufficient ecological consideration, have altered natural water flows and reduced freshwater availability from upstream sources. As a result, access to safe drinking water has become increasingly difficult for communities in the south-western coastal belt.
The organisers said the convention aims to foster inclusive dialogue and promote science-based solutions. They expressed hope that collective engagement would culminate in a Khulna Declaration, offering practical guidance for addressing long-term water insecurity and climate challenges in the region.
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