Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed on Tuesday called upon Asian countries to work together to address the growing water crisis, describing it as one of the biggest challenges facing the world today.

He made the call when a high-level South Korean delegation led by Ha Sang Jae, General Secretary of the Asia National Assembly Water Consultative Council (AAWC), met him at his office at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

The Speaker said the water crisis has become extremely severe across the globe and for some countries, including Bangladesh, it has turned into a matter of life and death. He said the problem is particularly acute in South Asian countries such as Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said Bangladesh has continued bilateral discussions with neighbouring India since independence to ensure its fair share of water from shared rivers.

During the meeting, Ha Sang Jae sought the Speaker’s cooperation in including members of the Bangladesh Parliament in AAWC’s efforts to find solutions to the global water crisis. He also invited the Speaker to attend the AAWC annual conference scheduled to be held in Laos in 2026.

Speaker assured that Bangladesh would take part effectively in the upcoming AAWC annual conference in Laos.

South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Kim Ji-jun and Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat Secretary Barrister Md Golam Sarwar Bhuiyan were also present at the meeting.