<div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Water Resources Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan today said Bangladesh will soon take steps to hold negotiations with India over sharing of water of transboundary rivers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The negotiations will be held after considering public opinion and the outcomes of the talks will be shared with the people," she said while speaking at a seminar titled "Bangladesh's Fair Share of Water in Shared Rivers," held at Pani Bhaban in the capital.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The seminar was arranged marking the World Rivers Day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Addressing as the chief guest, Rizwana said although the water sharing of international rivers is a complex issue, the exchange of essential information should not be political one.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">One country can want the rainfall data and location of structures in rivers and the data exchange can help prevent harm to lives and properties, she added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rizwana, also environment, forest and climate change adviser, said a country cannot go to the international court unilaterally on such issues but both nations must go to it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Sharing rainfall data is a humanitarian issue. Necessary data should be given for saving lives. Bangladesh's claims will be made clearly and strongly," she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The adviser stressed protecting the country's internal rivers, describing those as living entities that must be collectively saved.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Presided over by Mihir Biswas, convener of the World Rivers Day Celebration Council; and moderated by Md Alamgir Kabir, General Secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan (BAPA); the seminar was addressed, among others, by Md Ejaz, Director of the River and Delta Research Centre; Md Shahidul Islam, Professor of Geography and Environment at Dhaka University; and Shamsul Huda, Executive Director of the Association for Land Reform and Development.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Researchers, environmentalists, and government officials participated in the seminar.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>