There is a saying in our society: "Water is another name for life." From crop production and afforestation to the care of domestic animals, from its use as a solvent in factories to generating electricity, and from drinking water to bathing-water's universal necessity in every aspect of daily life has made this invaluable resource synonymous with "life" worldwide.
But, according to a survey by the world's popular environment and science-based satellite channel, National Geographic, even though water is present over 70.9% of the earth's surface, only 3% is suitable for human use. Of this 3%, 69% of fresh water is frozen in glaciers in the polar regions and mountain peaks, and 30% is stored underground. The remaining 1% of water is found in rivers, canals, lakes, and other reservoirs across the countries of the world.
However, due to global warming and the unplanned establishment of industries everywhere, water pollution and unnecessary wastage are steadily decreasing the amount of safe and healthy usable water for people. Economic and political analysts believe this signals the onset of new complex crises and conflicts worldwide.
In the twentieth century, the world has already witnessed several conflicts over the control of oil resources. Major conflicts such as the Chaco War between Bolivia and Paraguay from 1932 to 1935, the Allied strategic oil refinery destruction campaigns and the Pearl Harbor attack during World War II, the Nigerian Civil War from 1967 to 1970, the Iran-Iraq War from 1980 to 1988, and the Gulf War from 1990 to 1991, all arose directly or indirectly from disputes over oil resources. Oil is a valuable non-renewable mineral resource used as fuel. Therefore, the superpowers lost their patience in their quest to control this resource.
However, if we think oppositely, oil is not a universally essential daily resource for everyone, like water. Therefore, if the policymakers of the world's countries do not become aware of the proper management of diminishing usable water resources, the risk of many complex crises remains. According to the United Nations, although nearly 3 billion people worldwide depend on transboundary water sources in their countries, only 24 nations have so far signed agreements on the distribution of water from international rivers.
Considering all these factors, about 30 years ago, Ismail Serageldin, the former Vice President of the World Bank, said in a speech, "The conflicts of the current century have been centered around oil. But if we do not focus on proper water resource management and change our behavior, then in the next century, the primary cause of our conflicts will be water!"
Along with proper water management and taking conscious political and diplomatic measures regarding water, it is equally essential to be extremely frugal in its use, especially in Bangladesh. Although Bangladesh has had an abundance of water resources since prehistoric times, the amount of usable water in Bangladesh is gradually decreasing due to various reasons, such as excessive installation of deep tube wells, extraction of groundwater through pumps for irrigation in arable land, encroachment on different water bodies, and water pollution caused by unplanned industrialization and urbanization.
Moreover, many country citizens are not frugal in water usage; they leave water taps running unnecessarily, do not promptly turn off water tanks even when they overflow, and use more water than needed while bathing or washing clothes. Additionally, many urban water supply companies do not regularly monitor whether the supply pipelines have cracks or leaks. Research has revealed that about 30-40% of water is being wasted in urban areas.
Additionally, three years ago, over 61% of the country's population was indifferent to safe sanitation practices ("61% of the country's population live outside of safe sanitation," The Daily Ittefaq, November 19, 2021). Although this rate has slightly decreased now, many of our water bodies have already been polluted due to previously unhygienic toilet management.
Furthermore, among this country's 58 recognized transboundary rivers, 54 originate from the neighboring state of India. Since 1947, 72% of the reservoirs in that country have dried up, and many of the existing water bodies are reportedly encroached upon and polluted. To protect its interests, India controls the water flow of 47 of the 54 transboundary rivers with Bangladesh by constructing dams and barrages at various upstream points.
Additionally, they divert water from several transboundary rivers for hydropower projects. If the usable water in that country decreases further due to increased encroachment and pollution, it is natural that they will be more inclined to withdraw more water. However, such an initiative will significantly increase the risk of reducing Bangladesh's rightful share of water.
History reminds us that conflicts over the distribution of the Nile's water began among the ancient Nubians and Egyptians before the birth of Jesus Christ. Additionally, a recent study led by Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute has highlighted nearly a thousand small and large conflicts over water distribution from 1810 BC to the present. Therefore, it has become crucial to proceed with extreme awareness to eliminate all possibilities of complex crises and conflicts over water in contemporary situations.
Last year, a United Nations report stated that from the 1980s to the past 40 years, the level of freshwater use by the world's population has increased by 40%. As a result, people have increasingly turned to excessive groundwater extraction, which is very unusual.
On the other hand, in the same year, the World Health Organization and UNICEF, after a joint investigation, reported that in 2022, over 2.25 billion people worldwide did not have access to safe drinking water sources. Additionally, nearly 110 million people in various parts of the world drank unfiltered water from rivers, canals, and other water bodies due to a lack of adequate safe water. This results in approximately 2 million deaths annually worldwide due to waterborne diseases.
Therefore, considering the overall situation, it is essential to take a farsighted approach to proper water use and water politics to avoid imminent crises and conflicts. For this, we need to plant the seeds of water conservation among the public and, if necessary, diplomatically mediate through a third party to reach agreements between disputing parties to ensure 'water security' for everyone. In this regard, we must never forget the famous quote by Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and a polymath: "When the well is dry, we learn the worth of water."
The writer is a student, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur
