CapNet is a global initiative towards building capacity on “Integrated Water Resource Management” supported by UNDP and also an associated progarmme of Global Water Partnership. The South Asian nodal point of this initiative is SaciWATERs, Hyderabad, India. Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) and Integrated Water and Flood Management (IWFM) of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) are being working together towards launching Bangladesh Chapter of CapNet to facilitate and promoting interdisciplinary approaches to conceptualizing, planning and implementing water resource development in the country.
A meeting was held at Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) on 20th March 2004 in order to launch CapNet Bangladesh Chapter. The agenda of the launching meeting was as follows.
Agenda
Introducing the network
Discuss future course of activities
Determine work programme
Partnership development
Form a Core Group (CG)
Membership and collaboration modalities both in country and South Asia
Any other issue
Lunch at Riggs Inn
Mozaharul Alam, Research Fellow of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) provided an overview of CapNet with especial emphasis on South Asian Part. He also explained objectives of this meeting.
A. Atiq Rahman, Executive Director of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) gave an overview of the goals and objectives of the network. He also mentioned other networks working in the water sector and how best this new network could get benefit from and provide inputs to other network.
After the above two briefing and open discussion held which covers the following issues.
Eligibility of the membership.
Fees for membership.
Process of selection of the Core Group (CG).
Timeframe to form Core Group.
Size of Core Group.
Principal activity of Core Group.
Name of the organizations to be invited by BCAS to join the Core Group.
The following decisions have been taken over the open discussion.
The meeting form the CapNet Bangladesh as a part of South Asia and Global CapNet and will work with other regional and global
CapNet.
The meeting has decided that there will be two types of membership:
a) Institutional membership
b) Individual membership. Individual member will not have the right to vote.
The Core Group will be formed within two months through sending official invitation to identified institutes both from government and private sectors. BCAS will send invitation as coordinator of CapNet Bangladesh Chapter.
The meeting has also identified immediate activities as following
Prepare a report on who is doing what in the water sector in Bangladesh
Prepare a list of experts
& professional working in the water sector in Bangladesh
Collect information on what other regional and country level CapNet is doing.
