Rainwater is sustainable
resource for businesses

Staff Correspondent: The adoption of rainwater harvesting systems in the country’ ready-made garment factories and textile industries is creating much needed positive impacts on the environment, speakers said at a roundtable in Dhaka.
The high volume of water used in industry is an environmental concern because of their dependency on groundwater and it is time to act in ways that protect the long-term sustainability of water supply needed for businesses to grow, said speakers.
The roundtable titled ‘Industrial Rainwater Harvesting- A Sustainable Approach to Water Management,’ organised jointly by WaterAid and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) was held at The Westin Dhaka yesterday, reads a press release.
The programme aimed to initiate dialogue on the business case for industrial sustainable water management focusing on the rainwater harvesting system. The discussion explored potential opportunities, challenges, and solutions for sustainable supply chains and environmental impacts, as well as sharing examples of rainwater harvesting practices in garment factories.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said, “BGMEA as a progressive association has emphasised on the sustainable water resource management and actively encouraged factories to adopt rainwater harvesting systems. It is the time industries need to emphasis on rainwater and help to reduce extraction and dependency of ground water.”
Hasin Jahan, Country Director of WaterAid said, “To solve the impending water crisis that is depleting the groundwater, harvesting rainwater should be everyone’s business. Industries having ample space on the rooftop can be easily used for rainwater harvesting and demonstrate sustainable solutions towards solving the growing water needs for the businesses.
Bangladesh Apparel Youth Leaders Association – BAYLA President Abrar Hossain Sayem said, “Many smart industries put their footprint in the sustainability and water saving process. The industries are adopting rainwater harvesting to reduce the dependency on groundwater to tackle future catastrophes. The young people are the potential drivers for the economic and social progress of the country. So, it is essential to promote RWH among the youth so that they can become youth advocates for RWH and make a positive impact to reduce water crises in the future.
Apart from the guests, development partners, national business firms, and supply chain stakeholders, representatives from media and academia participated in the event.
The roundtable discussion came to an end with handing over the BGMEA’s sustainability report to Hasin Jahan and the distribution of certificates among rainwater harvesting professionals who were trained as part of WaterAid and ITN-BUET collaboration.
Hasin Jahan, country director at WaterAid, graced the occasion as the Guest of Honor. Partha Hefaz Shaikh, director of Policy & Advocacy at WaterAid, chaired the event and delivered the welcome note. Abrar Hossain Sayem, president of Bangladesh Apparel Youth Leaders Association – BAYLA, was present among the guests.