DHAKA: The Netherlands government will provide strategic assistance to Bangladesh for drinking water and dredging its rivers.

The assistance will be provided for adaptation to climate change challenges under the Global Water Programme, Netherlands’ Ambassador to Bangladesh Alphons Hennekens said after a meeting with Bangladesh’s Forest and Environment Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud.

Dr Mahmud said the Netherlands would assist for dredging the rivers to combat climate change risks and supply pure drinking water that will help reduce diarrhoea.

The Netherlands would also provide similar assistances to Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt and Mozambique under the same programme.

The assistance will be executed between 2010-2015.

BDST: 2050 HRS, AUGUST 16, 2010