The world's coastlines are highly dynamic landforms, tapestries of terrestrial and aquatic life and distinctive ecosystems. The coastal zone also contributes to human sustenance, culture, and economics in ways that belie its small size, but 5 percent of Earth's landmass.

THE extent of pollution seeping into our rivers is mind-boggling and has been that way for years together. If there ever was any hope that remedial measures would be taken to deal with the problem, it now seems that hope was belied. That much becomes clear through a front-page report in this newspaper yesterday.

Soft attitude of the government towards polluters and lack of awareness among city dwellers have literally left dead all the rivers and other surface waters in and around the capital.

Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) hopes to rid the city of the serious waterlogging up to 90 percent this year with the completion of dredging and widening work of the canals and drains before the upcoming rainy season.

Sources said the work for dredging and widening of 144 canals in the port city started in December last year that would be completed this month.

The country's waterway network has been shrinking drastically due to inability of the dredging department of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) to remove increased siltation from the riverbeds, causing negative impact on overall economy, says a BIWTA report.

LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday said many ambassadors are expressing willingness to invest in water treatment plants but the process is delayed by the Economic Relations Division of the finance ministry.

Rivers in some of the world's most populated regions are losing water, many because of climate change, researchers reported on Tuesday.

Affected rivers include the Yellow River in northern China, the Ganges in India, the Niger in West Africa, and the Colorado in the southwestern United States.

The government on Wednesday formed an expert committee to revise and finalise the Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan 2008 in light of government's 'Vision 2021' and perspective plan.

California will receive $260 million of $1 billion in US economic stimulus funds slated for water infrastructure, US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday.