Water governance in Bangladesh: challenges and opportunities around policy, institutional function and implementation for a sustainable water future

This report is a holistic review of water governance in Bangladesh, with the aim of providing insight to government and non-government actors on the current challenges and opportunities around water governance. The hope is that the findings will help all actors in Bangladesh to align on a positive roadmap for strong water governance and a sustainable water future. The study examines different elements of water governance in Bangladesh - including relevant policies, strategies, rules, regulations and their implementation by institutions in Bangladesh - in order to pinpoint important challenges and opportunities. The research particularly focussed on four key questions: · Do existing water-related policies adequately address the major challenges of water management in Bangladesh?; Are legal instruments and institutions adequately enforcing water-related policies to ensure good water governance in Bangladesh?; What legal and institutional reforms are required to appropriately address water management issues?; What is the best way for the private sector and civil society to support improved water governance and Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) in Bangladesh?