Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, said the government is now considering charging for industrial groundwater usage.
In this regard, the government will categorize industries based on water consumption while offering incentives for recycling initiatives.
“So far, water has been coming free to most of the industries, but the government has to stop that process. We will categorize the industries and extremely water intensive ones will have to start paying for the water they are extracting,” she added.
She revealed this while speaking as chief guest at the opening plenary of the Sustainable Apparel Forum (SAF) 2025, organized by Bangladesh Apparel Exchange in partnership with the Netherlands Embassy in Dhaka on Tuesday in the capital.
“While Bangladesh is a water-abundant country, many industrial zones are experiencing declining groundwater levels, affecting local communities who rely on groundwater for their everyday needs,” she added.
“The garment sector is water-intensive, and they must choose less water-intensive production processes and ensure reuse by removing extra pressure on the aquifer.
She also said that the energy supply shortages in the past two years have severely impacted industries, making sustainable energy solutions necessary for the country and the sector.
She stressed that the garment industry is energy-intensive and heavily reliant on water and chemical management, making responsible production practices crucial.
Michael Miller, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Bangladesh, Andre Carstens, the Netherlands’ ambassador to Bangladesh, Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud bin Harun, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, and Mostafiz Uddin, founder and CEO of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange, also spoke at the opening event.
Cox’s Bazar Life Desk
