He made the call during the ministerial dialogue of the 17th session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on Tuesday.

The minister said drought and declining groundwater levels in northwestern Bangladesh and salinity in coastal areas are threatening agriculture and sources of drinking water. To address these crises, various initiatives have been taken including water conservation, re-excavation of canals and rivers, tree plantation and expansion of drought-tolerant crop varieties.

He emphasised cooperation and equitable water sharing among neighbouring countries to ensure adequate water flow in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin during the dry season.

At the same time, he called on UNCCD member states to build an effective international framework ensuring advance preparedness, adequate financing and technology transfer to combat drought.