Kaptai Lake on the brink: Experts push for a national water grid
At a discussion on Tuesday (27 August), titled “Proper Water Management, A Tool to Address the Climate Crisis,” experts proposed a nationwide “Water Grid,” modelled after the electricity grid, to distribute water between regions.
Bangladesh's water crisis is worsening as rivers turn saline, hills are cut down, and reservoirs silt up. Groundwater depletion and deforestation are straining the supply further. In Chattogram, the city's main lifeline, Kaptai Lake, is in rapid decline, leaving residents staring at a future without fresh water.
At a discussion on Tuesday (27 August), titled "Proper Water Management, A Tool to Address the Climate Crisis," experts proposed a nationwide "Water Grid," modelled after the electricity grid, to distribute water between regions. They argued the system could ensure equitable supply, link rural and urban sources, and spread costs more evenly.
The consultation, organised by ISDE Bangladesh with support from Water Rights Advocacy, PRAN, and ActionAid, marked World Water Week 2025. Earlier, participants staged a symbolic protest, carrying empty pitchers to highlight communities left dry by worsening scarcity.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Shamsuddin Illius, Chattogram bureau chief of The Business Standard, delivered the keynote paper. Panelists included Khaled Mizbahuzzaman of Chittagong University, environmentalist Prof Idris Ali, and journalist Bhuiya Nazrul.
Speakers noted that unplanned river encroachment, hill cutting, deforestation, and unchecked groundwater extraction have deepened the crisis, while salinity intrusion and climate change are further reducing freshwater availability.
Chattogram WASA Chief Engineer Maksud Alam warned that Kaptai Lake, the city's most critical reservoir, is filling rapidly with silt. "Kaptai Lake is dying. We have repeatedly called for dredging, but no action has been taken. If the lake is lost, the water crisis will become unbearable," he said.
Alam added that reliance on the Karnaphuli River has become increasingly difficult due to salinity. Importing water from the Meghna River was explored, but costs stand at nearly Tk150 per cubic metre. A national water grid, he argued, could spread expenses across regions and reduce pressure on local sources.
WASA Managing Director Monowara Begum admitted urbanisation has outpaced management. "We are destroying nature, and nature is turning against us," she said, urging mandatory water harvesting in buildings and preservation of canals and reservoirs.
Speakers stressed water is a basic right and called for immediate action: establishing a national grid, dredging Kaptai Lake, and conserving water bodies.
The event was chaired by SM Nazer Hossain, vice-president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and executive director of ISDE Bangladesh. Monowara Begum attended as the chief guest, while senior officials, including Joint Secretary Muhammad Ashraf Hossain, Deputy Managing Director (Engineering) Bishnu Kumar Sarkar, and Chief Engineer Maksud Alam, joined as special guests. CAB Chattogram General Secretary Kazi Iqbal Bahar Saberi moderated the session.
