The closing and certificate distribution ceremony of the training programme titled “Strengthening Technical Capacity for Water-Level Data Collection, Processing and Analysis for Climate Risk Management in the Bangladesh Delta” was held today, 3 September 2026 (Thursday), at the M. A. Latif Auditorium of the Department of Geology, University of Dhaka. The programme was jointly organized by the International Centre for Ocean Governance (ICOG), the Department of Oceanography, University of Dhaka, and the Embassy of France in Dhaka. Professor Dr. A. B. M. Obaidul Islam, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, attended the ceremony as the Chief Guest.
The event was chaired by Professor Dr. Abdus Salam, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic), University of Dhaka. H.E. Mr. Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet, Ambassador of France to Bangladesh, attended the programme as the Guest of Honour. Professor Dr. Mohammed Almujaddade Alfasane, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration), University of Dhaka, was present as a Special Guest.
The welcome address was delivered by Dr. K. M. Azam Chowdhury, Acting Director, International Centre for Ocean Governance (ICOG). Dr. Jo C. Grall, a researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), University of La Rochelle, France, and the trainer of the programme, highlighted the various activities and outcomes of the training programme. The closing remarks were delivered by Dr. Tonia Astrid Capuano, Visiting Scientist at ICOG, who had come from France.
In his speech as the Chief Guest, Professor Dr. A. B. M. Obaidul Islam said, “We are a deltaic nation, living amid a turbulent sea and a changing climate. The more accurately we can measure our coast, the better we will be able to protect it.”
He said that the training programme represents an important example of transforming international knowledge exchange and scientific infrastructure into national capacity. As a physicist, he noted that data cannot be useful unless it is accurately measured, properly understood, and effectively applied. He emphasized that this principle is equally applicable to understanding a coastline and to a semiconductor thin film.
The Vice-Chancellor further said that the training had created an opportunity to develop the practical skills necessary to understand Bangladesh’s coastal environment through hands-on learning. He noted that such capacity building is directly connected with the country’s national aspirations for the Blue Economy. Through initiatives of this kind, Bangladesh is not only gaining access to modern technologies and scientific knowledge but is also investing in developing skilled human resources capable of operating and utilizing these technologies and equipment in the future.
Expressing hope for continued cooperation, he said that this was only the beginning and that he expected to see many more collaborations between France and Bangladesh in the field of research in the coming years.
In his remarks, H.E. Mr. Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet, Ambassador of France to Bangladesh, said that Bangladesh is the world’s largest and one of the most densely populated deltas. As the impacts of climate change intensify, between 20 and 60 percent of the country’s population lives under water during the summer monsoon each year. He noted that the ability to remain above water depends on a fragile balance between sea-level rise and land subsidence.
He emphasized that quantifying these parameters is essential for developing local policies and strategic adaptation measures in the context of climate change. One of the key objectives of the training programme was to strengthen the technical capacity required for this purpose. He added that the programme is part of a broader project that has been ongoing for more than a year and is being implemented with funding from the Embassy of France.
It may be mentioned that the training programme was conducted in two phases, from 17–20 August and 31 August–3 September 2026. A total of 60 teachers, students, and officials from various educational institutions and organizations across Bangladesh participated in the programme. Following the completion of the training, certificates were presented to the participants by the distinguished guests at the closing ceremony.
