"We must convert the cross-boundary rivers from being sources of contention into bonds of friendship", Advisor to the caretaker government Mainul Hossein told the conference. Not only between Bangladesh and India, regional partnership is essential for better management of life sustaining water resources, he said while inaugurating the conference on Sunday.

About 50 scientists and water resources experts from Asia and Europe are participating in the four-day 'International Conference and Exhibition on Water and Waste Water Treatment, being held at the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology'. The Department of Chemical Engineering and Polymar Science of SUST organsied the conference as a concluding programme of the EU project 'INNOWA' supported by the ASIA Eco Programme.

The experts also deliberated on pollution of water of common rivers in the region and said this is affecting Bangladesh, India and Nepal. Urgent steps should be taken together to harness the water resources for the benefit of millions of people in the region, they said.

Water is a matter of great concern now because of population growth and rapid industrialisation in Asia. This calls for a comprehensive and pragmatic police for sharing water and reduce pollution, the experts said..

SUST Vice Chancellor Prof M Aminul Islam chaired the inaugural function.

Sylhet city Corporation Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, First Councillor of the Delegation of the European Commission to Bangladesh Anthony Goodwin and Chairman of University Grants Commission Prof M Asaduzzaman attended the inaugural function as special guests.

Prof E Drioli of the Institute of Membrane Technology at the University of Calabaria, Italy; Prof J Hoinnkis of University of Applied Sciences,

Karlsruhe, Germany and Prof Rong Rong Huang of Jiangsu Polytechnic University, China also addressed the inaugural session.

Mainul Hossain said, experts are expressing deep concern over possible scarcity of water in future and its ecological impact in Bangladesh due to diversion of water of rovers in the upstream.

"Nothing is more important for good and constructive relationship between India and Bangladesh than equitable sharing of water from joint rivers", he said.

The SAARC must prove helpful for better utilisation of water resources in the region, he said. Otherwise, the water issue may threaten peace in the region, the advisor for Information, Law Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and Land said.

Sharing knowledge, expertise and transfer of technologies among countries of Asia would play a vital role in properly harnessing the water resources. Researchers and policy makers should work jointly towards achieving this objective, Mainul said.

"At home, we must satisfy ourselves that our experts do not lack decisiveness to move forward with what we can do ourselves".

He also stressed the need for keeping rivers and water bodies free from encroachment.

Massive disposal of industrial wastewater into rivers in the region is causing a real threat to the surface water as a source for drinking water.