Bangladesh - The Netherlands : 50 years of water cooperation

Cooperation between Bangladesh and the Netherlands in the water sector goes back over half a century. We have worked together on flood management, drainage, river basin management and coastal zone management – creating safe polders and making land available for the landless. And together with NGOs and the private sector we have improved access to safe water and sanitation for millions of people in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has an impressive track record for growth and development, and aspires to be a middle-income country within the next ten years. So over the past few years our relationship has gradually evolved from a single focus on development cooperation to a stronger emphasis on trade and investment, creating opportunities for Dutch and Bangladeshi companies to do business.