Building capacity of the GED and other ministries, divisions, and agencies on issues pertaining to the implementation of BDP 2100 is crucial in order to create awareness of mid-level and local level decision-makers and stakeholders on Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, as well as to achieve the expected outputs and outcomes. Several workshops on different issues have been conducted under SIBDP project. The SIBDP TA team facilitated these workshop programs providing technical support in order to realize satisfactory outcomes of the programs. The main objective of these stakeholder consultation workshops is to generate improved understanding of the senior officials of the Bangladesh Government about significance of having an adaptive and strategic plan like BDP 2100, so as to materialize the vision of building a developed country. It is also meant to create consciousness among the senior officials about the importance of having sustained capacity, including knowledge, skills, commitment, enabling institutional arrangement, well defined plans, projects and programs, and efficient and effective relationships with stakeholders at all levels.

Workshop on ‘Implementing Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100: BWDB’s Challenges and Way Forward’:

Bangabandhu Prokousholi Parishad, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) organized a day-long workshop supported by SIBDP 2100 titled ‘Implementing Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100: BWDB’s Challenges and Way Forward’ on Wednesday, the 27th of October 2021 at Pani Bhaban, Dhaka-1205. Prof. Md. Habibur Rahman, President, Bangabandhu Prokousholi Parishad, Central Committee, and Vice-Chancellor, Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), Gazipur, presided over the workshop.

Mr. Zaheed Farooque, MP, Hon'ble State Minister, Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR), graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Engineer Md. Abdus Sabur, Secretary for Science and Technology, Bangladesh Awami League and Former President IEB; Engineer Fazlur Rashid, Director General, BWDB; Freedom Fighter Md. Nuruzzaman, General Secretary, Bangabandhu Prokousholi Parishad, Central Committee, and Vice President (HRD), IEB were present as the special guests during the event. Mr. AKM Enamul Hoque Shameem, MP, Hon'ble Deputy Minister, MoWR was virtually connected during the workshop.

Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman, Additional Director General (Planning, Design and Research), BWDB, provided the keynote presentation on BDP 2100 Implementation and BWDB’s challenges towards achieving the goals of BDP 2100. Following the keynote presentation, Mr. Giasuddin Ahmed Choudhury, Deputy Team Leader, Support to Implementation of Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 (SIBDP 2100), facilitated a brief discussion on BDP Investment Plan (IP) rationalized programs and projects.

In addition, about 200 water related professionals from MoWR and various departments, agencies, professional institutions, such as IEB, BWDB, WARPO, JRC, CEGIS, IWM, SIBDP and also from press (print and electronic media) attended the workshop.

Photos of the Workshop

Figure 1:The Hon'ble State Minister, MoWR, during his valuable speech

Figure 2:Mr Fazlur Rashid, DG, BWDB, delivered his valuable speech

Figure 3:Mr. Giasuddin Ahmed Choudhury, Deputy Team Leader, SIBDP delivered keynote speech

Figure 4:The participants of the workshop

Workshop on ‘National Conference-2021 and 6th Council Session’ considering the main theme ‘100 years Delta Plan is an inevitable step to protect the country from adverse effects climate change impacts’:

In 2021, just as every year, the Diploma Engineers Association, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) organized a two-day National Conference 2021 and the 6th Council Session with the theme of ‘100 Years Delta Plan is an Inevitable Step to Protect Country from the Adverse Climate Change Impacts’ on the 23rd and 24th of December 2021 at Pani Bhaban, Dhaka-1205. Mr. Khandaker Mainur Rahman, President, Diploma Engineers Association, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), presided over the conference. This is an annual conference and the objective of the conference is to bring together all the Diploma Engineers of BWDB from all over the country.

Mr. Zaheed Farooque, MP, Hon'ble State Minister, Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR), graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Mr. Enamul Haque MP, Member of the Standing Committee on the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges and Adviser to the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Mr. Rezwan Ahmed Tawfiq MP, Mr. Moazzem Hossain Ratan MP, and Engineer Fazlur Rashid, Director General, BWDB were present as the special guests during the event. Mr. Kabir Bin Anwar, Senior Secretary, MoWR, was virtually connected during the conference.

Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman, Additional Director General (Planning, Design and Research), BWDB, provided the keynote presentation on BDP 2100 Implementation and BWDB’s challenges towards achieving the goals of BDP 2100. During the presentation, he highlighted BWDB’s active roles in preparing several multi-sectoral development projects, supporting the implementation of BDP 2100, development of Action Plans aligned with the 8th Five Year Plan (FYP) and BDP 2100 Investment Plan.

Mr. Giasuddin Chowdhury, Deputy Team Leader, SIBDP also gave keynote speech on the entire scenario and status of Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100. He emphasized on the River Basin Planning and related Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 Programmes.

The representatives from the Diploma Engineers Association delivered presentations on the hotspot wise thematic problems mentioned in Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100. The presentations focused on the implementation challenges of six hotspots – Chattogram Hill Tracts, Coastal Zone, Haor and Flash Flood Areas, River System and Estuaries, Urban Areas, and cross-cutting issues, and respective solutions for each hotspot.

The inaugural and seminar sessions followed by a detailed technical session were held on the first day of the conference. The technical session continued during the second day of the seminar followed by a special rally organized with the theme of ‘Hundred Years Delta Plan is an Inevitable Step to Protect the Country from the Adverse Climate Change Impacts’. The rally was attended by the President of the Diploma Engineers Association of BWDB Khandaker Mainur Rahman and General Secretary Sheikh Enamul Haque, as well as other senior officials. The rally started from Pani Bhaban, went around Panthapath and ended at Pani Bhaban. Around 1000 diploma engineers attended the conference, including field assistants, sub-assistant engineers, assistant engineers, sub-divisional engineers, and executive engineers from all over Bangladesh.

Photos of the Workshop

Figure 6:The Hon'ble State Minister, MoWR, during his valuable speech

Figure 7:Hon’ble guests of the first session of Day-1 seminar

Figure 8:Hon’ble guests of technical session of Day 1 Seminar. From left to right Mr. Md. Abdul Hamid, Mr KhandakerMainur Rahman, Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman, Mr Fazlur Rashid, Mr. Giasuddin Ahmed Choudhury, Mr. Emu Reazul Hasan, Mr. Enamul Haque

Figure 9:Mr Fazlur Rashid, DG, BWDB, delivered his valuable speech

Figure 10:Dr. Mizanur Rahman, ADG, BWDB, delivered keynote speech

Figure 11:Mr. Giasuddin Ahmed Choudhury, Deputy Team Leader, SIBDP delivered keynote speech

Figure 12:The Hon'ble Secretary delivered his speech

Figure 13:The audience of the conference Day-1

Figure 14:A rally organized on the Day-2 of the conference