Experts at an international workshop here on Saturday stressed the need for regional coordination and cooperation to address the water problems in the interest of peace and welfare of the people of the region. 

Though the problem of water is mainly a local problem in all of the countries in the region, it could be solved regionally as many of the rivers are shared transboundary systems, they said. 

They also said regional coordination and cooperation will inevitably be required for both an increased understanding of the nature of climate challenges and formulation of approaches to address such challenges effectively. 

Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) and the Strategic Foresight Group, India jointly arranged the workshop on 'Himalayan Sub-regional Cooperation for Water Security' at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel to develop concrete ideas for sub-regional cooperation in the Himalayan river basins. 

BIPSS President Major General (retd) Muniruzzaman and President of Strategic Foresight Group, India Sundeep Waslekar addressed the inaugural session of the workshop. 

Terming the Himalayas as a magnificent monument of nature, Muniruzzaman said being the world's highest mountain chain, it is characterized by its great height, complex geological structure, snowcapped peaks, large valley glaciers, deep river gorges and rich vegetation.

The Himalayan glaciers from the world's largest ice-body outside the polar caps, popularly known as the 'Water Tower of Asia', they are the source of water for rivers that flow across the continent. 

"But the glaciers, which regulate the water supply to seven major rivers in the region, are believed to be retreating at a rate of about 10-15m (33- 49ft) and it is melting much faster than what was estimated previously," he said.

Quoting a report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), he said many glaciers in the region will retreat in the coming days, while smaller glaciers may disappear altogether. 

With a 2 degrees Celsius increase in temperatures, he said, 35 percent of the present glaciers will disappear by 2050 and run-off will increase, peaking between 2030 and 2050. 

General Muniruzzaman said this meltdown of Himalyan glaciers will ultimately reduce the amount of water in the glacier-fed rivers representing a danger not only to the immediate surroundings, but to neighbouring countries as well.

"This issue will become not only the focus of environmental and public health debates, but also the cause of serious political conflict across the countries," he added. 

Sundeep Waslekar called for regional cooperation to address the water problems in the region, saying that the problems could be solved if all the counties in the region come forward to this end shunning their national ego.

"The water problems will affect livelihood massively and create migration problems displacing 100 million people in the region," he said. 

Waslekar also underscored the need for exchanging hydrological cooperation, improving the quality of waters, joint scientific assessment, cooperation of hydroelectricity, modernization of water infrastructure, integrated river basin management, proper application of UN Biodiversity Convention and finding out a conflict prevention mechanism. 

Dipak Gyawali, former minister for water resources of Nepal, who also took part in the workshop, called for focusing on the small rivers instead of big rivers, saying that the small rivers could bring collective benefits for all the countries of the region. 

"Let us focus on small rivers as those are the life-blood and can bring maximum benefit in minimum investment," he said. 

Gyawali advocated for generating electricity in other means like renewable energy, bio-gas and solar power rather than using water to avoid controversy of constructing hydroelectric barrage. 

Twenty-nine experts from Bangladesh, China, India and Nepal including former Indian agriculture and water resources minister Mr Sompal and ex- water resources minister of Bangladesh Hafiz Uddin Ahmed took part in the workshop.