Announcement: Flowing Forward Project

Flowing Forward is a new capacity-building program aimed at strengthening the institutional capabilities of the water sector in Bangladesh. The project focuses on two key challenges: improving asset management within the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and enhancing the knowledge of public organizations to effectively develop and manage Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs).  

Why this project?

Bangladesh faces major water-related challenges: ageing infrastructure, climate change, and a rapidly growing demand for reliable water services. A previous study, commissioned by RVO, showed that current maintenance processes are not sufficiently geared towards the long term, that data and knowledge management are fragmented, and that financial resources are not being used optimally. In addition, research commissioned by the Netherlands Embassy indicates strong potential for collaboration with private parties, but public institutions in Bangladesh currently lack sufficient experience to structure and manage PPP projects in a sustainable way.

What makes this project unique?

Dutch and Bangladeshi partners jointly determine priorities, select cases, and co-create training materials. A Project Coordination Group monitors progress and decides on the final structure of the program after an inception period. The project places strong emphasis on national expertise: more than half of all training days will be delivered by Bangladeshi experts. During the project, 10–15 experts from Bangladesh will be trained as national trainers, ensuring long-term knowledge retention.

Intended results

The program aims to contribute to stronger and more sustainable water management in Bangladesh. During the project, BWDB will receive support in embedding an asset management framework. Public organizations will be supported in independently developing PPP projects, and a national group of certified trainers will ensure continued knowledge transfer after project completion. Finally, the project emphasizes gender equality in the selection of participants and trainers.

Project duration

The project will run from December 2025 to September 2027, with a strong focus on sustainable continuation by Bangladeshi partners after Dutch support concludes.