AIT recently played host on February 8th to a special lecture by Mr. Emaduddin Ahmad, Executive Director, Institute of Water Modelling (IWM), Bangladesh on the “Use of Mathematical Hydraulic Models to support IWRM in Bangladesh”. The event was organized by the AIT Golden Jubilee Fundraising Campaign under the leadership of Dr. Khin Ni Ni Thein, AIT Vice President for Development and Resources and the faculty of the Water Engineering Management Faculty (WEM).
Mr. Emaduddin Ahmad has a professional career that spans thirty-six years in the planning and management of water resources. The lecturer graduated in civil engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering Technology (BUET) in 1969 and later completed his MEng in Water Resources from AIT, Bangkok, with specialisation in the mathematical modelling of unsteady flow in the rivers.
In his lecture, Mr. Ahmad explained how mathematical tools are presently being used at various levels in Bangladesh to support IWRM. He also touched on the current problems being faced, and what needs to be done to adapt such tools in the future. Of particular note was the fact that sedimentation in large river basins of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers has now created considerable instability in terms of the water flow of many other Bangladeshi rivers. This disturbing development is now monitored through the use of modelling techniques, which the lecturer explained in detail.
Mr. Ahmad demonstrated how his organization has managed to achieve a balance of action; by means of modelling techniques to satisfy the needs of local people, along with political will. He also presented the AIT audience with concrete examples of the application of modelling techniques from the irrigation sector and tidal river management in which the results were highly valued by local people.
Following his lecture, the speaker fielded questions from the audience, which led to an interesting discussion on the scope of using these tools in the field. At the conclusion of the talk, Mr. Ahmad was extended a vote of thanks by Dr. M.S. Babel, WEM FoS Coordinator.