Waterlogging has gripped vast areas in Satkhira and Khulna, low lying areas in Jessore and a part of Bagerhat in the zone, they said.

About 2 lakh hectare of land in the region have already been affected and the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove in the world is also not safe from it, they observed.

The workshop on "Water Logging and Acute Scarcity of Safe Drinking Water in the Southwestern Zone and its Solution" jointly organised by Action Aid Bangladesh, Pani Committee and a local NGO Uttaran was held on the IDRT premises at Tala.

Uttaran director Shahidul Islam moderated it. Satkhira deputy commissioner (DC) Md Elias inaugurated the workshop as chief guest while Bangladesh Water Mitigation Programme director Khoda Bux, BUET professor Firoz Ahmed, Integrated Coastal Management Project director Rafiqul Islam and Action Aid Water Partnership's Reba Pal were the resource persons.

Principal Shafiqul Islam of the Pani Committee presided over the workshop.

If the trend continues, the rest of the areas in the region may be affected by the water logging within the shortest possible time, the experts told the workshop.

Due to continuous siltation the main rivers in the region were losing navigability and during the monsoon the vast tract of land became inundated causing water logging. Water from the silted rivers overflow their banks damaging crops on hundreds of acres of land, they said. Besides, waterlogging is affecting the environment and surroundings, they observed.

If the trend continues, the lifestyle of the people in the region will also be hampered greatly, Prof. Firoz Ahmed said.

In addition to damaging the Sundarbans' eco-system, salinity will penetrate further affecting agriculture, forestry, fisheries and safe drinking water in the region, DC Md. Elias, the chief guest said.

"Continuous dredging is necessary to keep the rivers alive and solve the problems, ICMP director Rafiqul Islam said.

Uttaran's director Shahidul Islam demanded immediate restoration of canals and water bodies and also dredging of dying rivers in the region.

Reba Pal suggested that through introducing the Tidal River Management Option, the water logging problem may be solved and it will increase navigability of the rivers.