Princh Mondal Olif, Bagerhat District Correspondent,

State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Lion Dr. Sheikh Faridul Islam has announced that the government will gradually provide rainwater harvesting tanks to every household in Bangladesh's coastal region to help address the long-standing shortage of safe drinking water. He also said that government-owned ponds will be renovated and preserved as freshwater reservoirs to ensure a sustainable supply of potable water for coastal communities.

The announcement came on Friday while addressing a water tank distribution ceremony held at the Rampal Upazila Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) premises in Bagerhat. The event was organized under the Climate Trust Fund's Rainwater Harvesting Programme, where water storage tanks were distributed among underprivileged families.

Speaking as the chief guest, the State Minister said that residents of Rampal and Mongla have been suffering from an acute drinking water crisis for many years due to increasing salinity caused by climate change. To address the problem, the government has launched a project to distribute 3,000 rainwater harvesting tanks in the initial phase, with 82 tanks handed over to beneficiaries during the event.

He noted that most water sources in the coastal belt have become saline, and in many areas even tube-well water is no longer suitable for drinking. Under these circumstances, collecting and preserving rainwater has become one of the most effective and sustainable solutions for ensuring access to safe drinking water.

Dr. Sheikh Faridul Islam further said that the government is working on a long-term plan to restore government ponds and convert them into protected freshwater reservoirs. Fish farming will not be permitted in these ponds so that they can serve exclusively as reliable sources of safe drinking water for local residents.

He added that the government continues to implement various climate adaptation and development projects aimed at improving the living standards of coastal communities and ensuring their access to safe water despite the growing impacts of climate change.

Among those present at the programme were Rampal Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Ms. Tamanna Ferdousi, Executive Engineer of DPHE, Bagerhat, Jayanta Mallik, Sub-Assistant Engineer Imran Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Rampal Police Station Md. Rajib Al Rashid, Rampal Upazila BNP President Hafizur Rahman Tuhin, former Member Secretary Kazi Jahidul Islam Jahid, along with local public representatives, government officials and distinguished citizens.

Following the programme, the State Minister also distributed corrugated iron sheets for house construction, financial assistance, food aid, and additional rainwater harvesting tanks among extremely poor families in the area.