Bangladesh Proposes UAE Partnership for Saline Water Conversion Pilot in Cox’s Bazar
Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives Minister Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan today proposed a pilot project in Cox's Bazar with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to convert saline water into drinking water.
Highlighting the issue of the country's future water security, the LGRD minister said, “The availability of pure water could face challenges in the future due to excessive reliance on groundwater.”
To address this situation, he sought UAE's cooperation in converting saline water into quality drinking water.
He placed the proposal during a courtesy meeting with the UAE Ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullah Ali Al-Hamdi, at his office in the Secretariat here.
Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan also emphasized the importance of increasing UAE investment in Bangladesh during the meeting. He noted that making a large initial investment is somewhat difficult for Bangladesh; however, it would be better for the country if foreign investors stepped forward and there was an opportunity to repay the investment in phases.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Minister apprised the Ambassador of the challenges facing Bangladesh's democratic transition.
The Ambassador stated that Bangladeshi workers are making significant contributions to the development of the UAE. Considering the demands of the country's labor market, he emphasized the export of skilled manpower and sought Bangladesh's cooperation in this regard.
Additionally, the Ambassador called for increasing the volume of high-quality limestone imports from the UAE to Bangladesh by reducing the applicable taxes. The LGRD minister assured him that he would inform the relevant authorities about this matter.
Shahmina Isha Mannan, Economic Analyst for the UAE in Bangladesh and Shibir Bichitra Barua, Director General of Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Inspection, along with senior ministry officials, were present at the meeting.
