IWM

The Department of Fisheries (DoF), with technical support from the Institute of Water Modelling (IWM), conducted regional stakeholder consultation workshops as part of the Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) study for the fisheries sector. The workshops were held in Barisal on 28 April 2024, Khulna on 12 May 2024, and Chattogram on 30 May 2024.

The consultations brought together government officials, fisheries experts, researchers, local stakeholders and representatives from relevant organizations. IWM presented the study findings and proposed planning approach, while participants shared practical concerns, local knowledge and recommendations to improve the Marine Spatial Plan.
 

A joint team from the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and the Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) conducted a field visit and community consultation in the Bhabodah area of Jashore during June 2025. The visit was carried out under the feasibility study for improving drainage congestion in the Bhabodah area and developing a sediment management plan for the Sibsa and Pussur River basins in the south-west region of Bangladesh.

The visit focused on understanding the existing drainage and sedimentation problems and assessing potential beels for Tidal River Management (TRM). The joint team visited the Amdanga 6V Regulator, Bhabodaho 21V Regulator, Beel Kapalia, Arpata Beel, Kharnia Bridge and Beel Singa. Field observations showed significant siltation in parts of the Hari River and drainage channels, reducing the natural drainage capacity of the area.

Mr. Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, Honorable Minister for Commerce, Industries, and Textiles & Jute, accompanied by Mr. Abdul Quiyum Choudhury, the Administrator of Sylhet City Corporation, visited IWM on Saturday, 6 June 2026. Md. Amirul Islam, Executive Director of IWM, warmly welcomed the Honorable Minister with a flower bucket. The visit underscored the growing recognition of IWM's technical expertise among policymakers and local government leadership and offered an important platform for dialogue between the Institute and the visiting dignitaries on pressing water and climate challenges facing Bangladesh's North-East Region.

The visit commenced with an executive briefing by the Executive Director of IWM, who presented an overarching overview of the Institute's strategic vision, institutional mandates, and technological innovations. The briefing traced IWM's evolution as a national center of excellence in water resources modelling, its integration of advanced hydrodynamic and GIS-based tools into planning processes, and its expanding portfolio of work in climate adaptation, coastal resilience, and urban water management.

IWM hosted a delegation from the Panjwani-Hisaar Water Institute (PHWI), NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan, from 7 to 11 June 2026. The delegation was led by Ms. Simi Sadaf Kamal, Advisor; accompanied by Mr. Haris Akram Bhatti, Assistant Professor (Operations); and Ms. Kausar Hasmi, Manager (Planning & Development) from the PHWI, NED University, Karachi, Pakistan. The delegation was warmly received by Md. Amirul Islam, Executive Director of IWM, who extended a cordial welcome with floral greetings on behalf of the Institute.

The visit constituted a continuation of the institutional dialogue initiated at the 7th Karachi International Water Conference and was undertaken with the principal objective of strengthening trans-boundary academic and technical collaboration in the fields of water security, sustainable water resources management, and climate-resilient water research. It further sought to operationalise a proposed multi-year joint research programme among PHWI, the Institute of Water and Flood Management (IWFM) of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), and IWM, with generous travel support extended by OIC-COMSTECH, the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

IWM hosted a delegation from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) on Thursday, 11 June 2026. The GCF delegation was led by Ms. Diane Jegam, Regional Manager, East and South Asia, and accompanied by Dr. Bapon Fakhruddin, Senior Specialist for Water Resources Management. Md. Amirul Islam, Executive Director of IWM warmly welcomed the GCF team. The visit underscored IWM's growing role as a key institutional partner in advancing climate finance and climate action in Bangladesh.