It must protect peoples' right to water as a life-saving entitlement enshrining it explicitly in the constitution, they said at the discussion organised jointly by Odhikar, a rights group, and Actionaid, Bangladesh at the Spectra Convention Centre in the city.

"Water is gradually being turned into a commercial commodity globally," said Farhad Mazhar, writer and advisor to Odhikar.

"Both the state and international community are moving from a human right perspective that water is a life-saving entitlement," he said in his presentation, adding: "As if, state has no responsibility to ensure the life-saving entitlement of the people."

A few multinational companies are emerging prominently in privatisation and commercialisation of water with huge capital investment, he said, while on the other hand, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is putting enormous pressure on the governments of countries like ours to allow the service sector for open market delivery.

Farida Akhter, executive director of Narigrantha Prabartana and a woman activist, said that soft drink companies are inclining towards bottled water business, as the latter is currently more profitable.

"It is unfortunate that the country's constitution does not make any mention of water as a fundamental right in Article 15 on fundamental principles," said Prof. Asif Nazrul of Dhaka University (DU).

"One cannot hold the government responsible for having failed to ensure the right to water as a fundamental entitlement," he added.

The water policy of 1984 focuses only on the usage of water but as a right, he said.

"Right to water is implied in the right to life and livelihood in the constitution," said additional Attorney General Fida M Kamal. "Legislations may be enacted to ensure the right but it is not necessary to incorporate it separately in the constitution," he added.

Making water a mere fundamental right will hardly make a difference unless an integrated management of available surface water, rainwater and ground water is ensured, said Dr. Mahmudur Rahman of Dhaka Community Hospital.

"Privatisation of water may be accepted only if the government can ensure it will not distress the common people," he said.

Terming water as a declining resource, M Asafuddowlah, editor, Bangladesh Today, said that constitution should not guarantee something, which cannot be implemented practically.

Water crisis is man-made that has to be settled with the UN intervention, he said. "We have to first establish our national right in the water of transboundary rivers to make water a fundamental entitlement," he added.

"It is impossible to make water a fundamental right enforceable by constitutional guarantee," said Law Minister Moudud Ahmed.

The nation has to first establish its rightful share in the water of transboundary rivers, as 54 rivers carry 80 percent of Bangladesh's total water of the country, he said.

The minister underscored the need for a body with massive mobilisation of world opinion to settle water disputes over transboundary rivers.

Government cannot escape its responsibility to ensure water as a right just arguing that a mighty neighbour denies Bangladesh's due share in the water of international rivers, Farid Hossain of Associated Press.

Right to water has to be considered from a human right perspective, he said, government has to ensure integrated management of available water resources, he added.