Govt approves Tk34,347cr Padma Barrage Project

Infographics: TBS

The government has approved the highly discussed Padma Barrage Project at an estimated cost of Tk34,347 crore.

The approval was granted during a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) held at the Secretariat, chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, today (13 May). Eight other projects were also approved.

The barrage is aimed at addressing water shortages in the Padma River during the dry season, revitalising the river system, and improving overall water and environmental management in the country's south-western region.

Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa) has voiced concern over the government's move to advance the barrage project "before carrying out transparent studies and public consultations on its potential benefits and risks."

According to project documents, the barrage at Rajbari's Pangsha will store around 2,900 million cubic metres of water to strengthen water management in the south-western region.

The project aims to ensure regulated dry-season flow from January to May in the Ichhamati-Mathabhanga, Gorai-Madhumati, Chandana-Barasia, Boral, and Ichhamati river systems. It will also support water supply for the Godagari Pump House, the Ganges-Kobadak irrigation project, and the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.

Water supply will be ensured for around 2.88 million hectares of cultivable land across Kushtia, Faridpur, Jashore, Khulna, Barishal, Pabna, and Rajshahi.

The project also targets 113MW of hydropower generation and plans to use the barrage deck as a multi-purpose corridor for roads, power transmission lines, and gas pipelines.

According to the proposal, the project is expected to result in an annual increase of 2.39 million tonnes in rice production and 2.34 lakh tonnes in fish production.

The total estimated cost of the project stands at Tk50,443.64 crore. However, the Project Evaluation Committee recommended a phased implementation, proposing Tk34,497 crore for the first phase. Eventually, Tk34,347cr was approved at today's meeting. Officials said completion is tentatively scheduled for June 2033, with full financing from government resources.

Water security and environmental protection

According to Water Development Board (WDB) officials, the project is not just an infrastructure project; it could become a central solution for water security, food security, and environmentally sustainable development in Bangladesh.

"The barrage could improve the lives of millions of people directly and indirectly, while bringing major positive changes to agriculture, fisheries, industry, and the environment," an official added.

Since the construction of the Farakka Barrage in the 1970s, upstream water diversion has significantly reduced the natural flow of the Padma River during the dry season. This has increased salinity intrusion in rivers and canals in the south-western region, adversely affecting agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and river navigation. It has also put the biodiversity of the Sundarbans under severe threat.

WDB officials noted that dry-season flow in the Padma-Ganges system was around 70 thousand cusecs before the Farakka Barrage. Since 1975, upstream withdrawal has at times reduced flow to 10-20 thousand cusecs or less. Livelihoods across 20 to 25 Padma-dependent districts have faced severe disruption.

This has increased salinity, river erosion, siltation, disrupted navigation, and reduced irrigation and fisheries output. Excessive salinity has also caused widespread "top dying" in Sundarbans trees.

Under the 1996 Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, the two countries share the river's flow at Farakka from 1 January to 31 May each year. The 30-year treaty expires this year.

The Padma Barrage Project covers around 37% of Bangladesh's total geographical area, spanning four divisions, 26 districts, and 163 upazilas.

Infrastructure details 

The project includes a 2.1km long main barrage with 78 spillways, 18 undersluices, fish passes, a navigation lock, and guide embankments. Three offtake structures will be built for the Gorai, Chandana, and Hisna rivers.

For river management, 135.6km of dredging will be carried out in the Gorai-Madhumati system, and 246.46km of re-excavation will be undertaken in the Hisna system.

Officials further mentioned that the barrage would create a 165km in-stream reservoir without major additional land acquisition, opening new opportunities for tourism, fisheries, and local economic activity.

Feasibility studies

Bangladesh has been exploring the idea of a Ganges Barrage since the 1960s, with the first study launched in 1961 by the then EPWADA, now the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB). 

Between 1960 and 2000, four pre-feasibility studies were conducted. In 2002, the Water Resources Planning Organisation recommended that the barrage be built either at Thakurbari in Kushtia or at Pangsha in Rajbari. Detailed feasibility studies and engineering designs were later carried out between 2009 and 2016. 

Meanwhile, Bangladesh and India continued technical-level discussions. In October 2016, experts from both countries conducted joint site visits and meetings in Dhaka, followed by the creation of a joint technical sub-committee to facilitate data sharing.

In January this year, towards the end of the interim government's tenure, the project was sent to the Planning Commission for approval after nearly six decades of discussion.

An attempt was also made to place it before the 25 January Ecnec meeting. However, the then planning adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud said approval should not be rushed, given the project's high cost.

On 6 May, the Planning Commission and the Ministry of Water Resources briefed the prime minister on the project and reviewed its key components. The prime minister directed the inclusion of an assessment of the project's expected GDP contribution in the proposal.

Employment and social impact

During implementation, the project is expected to generate around 12.25 crore man-days of employment for about 47,950 workers and create approximately 9.27 lakh direct and indirect jobs. Plans also include seven satellite towns and modern rural townships for around 1.5 lakh families across 3,450 acres.

The feasibility study estimates annual economic returns of around Tk8,000 crore and a 0.45% contribution to GDP growth based on FY25. The project is also expected to reduce salinity intrusion in Satkhira, Khulna, and Bagerhat, helping restore the ecological balance in the Sundarbans and surrounding coastal areas.

Nine projects approved

The Ecnec meeting approved a total of nine projects worth Tk36,695.72 crore, including the Padma Barrage project. Of the total, Tk36,490.93 crore will come from government funding, while Tk204.79 crore will be financed from the concerned agencies' own funds.

Among the approved projects, three are new, five are revised, and one has received a time extension.

Other approved projects include: the Establishment of Chattogram Muslim Institute Cultural Complex (2nd revised), Construction of Multi-storey Building for the Department of Public Libraries (2nd revised), Upgradation of Existing Mother and Child Welfare Centres in District Towns into 30-bed Facilities (1st phase), Support Infrastructure Construction for Hi-Tech City-2 (3rd revised), Construction/Reconstruction of Government Children's Homes and Chotomoni Nibash (2nd revised), Construction of SM Barrack Complex to solve soldiers' housing shortage at Savar Cantonment, and Chattogram City Outer Ring Road (Patenga to Sagorika) (5th revised).

The meeting also approved one project under the power, energy and mineral resources ministry: Construction of Gas Pipeline from Dhanua to Mymensingh to supply gas to the Mymensingh Combined Cycle Power Plant (1st revised).

The meeting was also informed about two projects costing below Tk50 crore that had already been approved by the Planning Minister. These are: Infrastructure Development of Mymensingh Zilla School, Mymensingh, and Construction of Airmen Barrack Complex at BAF Base Kurmitola.

Bapa expresses concern

In a press statement signed by Bapa President Professor Dr Nur Mohammad Talukdar and Acting General Secretary SM Mizanur Rahman, the organisation alleged that the proposal does not properly address possible negative impacts.

According to the organisation, sedimentation upstream of the barrage could raise the riverbed and increase flooding and riverbank erosion along a 145-kilometre stretch from Pangsha to Rajshahi. It also warned that diverting water to the southwest during the dry season could reduce flows in central rivers, including the Arial Khan, and allow salinity to move further inland through the Meghna estuary.

BAPA further argued that the project could weaken Bangladesh's future efforts to secure a greater share of Ganges water from India during the dry season.

Instead of rushing ahead with the barrage, the organisation urged the government to strengthen negotiations with India over fair water sharing, renew the Ganges treaty accordingly, and restore natural connections between the Ganges and its distributary rivers inside Bangladesh.