Padma Barrage project heads for Ecnec nod as strategic answer to water crisis

The government is set to approve the much-awaited Padma Barrage project 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.

Planning officials said the project will be placed before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) meeting on 13 April and likely to be approved. It is listed as item number 11 among 13 agenda projects.

According to project documents, the barrage at Pangsha in Rajbari 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.

The proposal projects annual increases of 2.39 million tonnes in rice production and 2.34 lakh tonnes in fish production, according to documents.

During implementation, the project is expected to generate around 12.25 crore man-days of employment for about 47,950 workers and create around 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 ecological balance in the Sundarbans and surrounding coastal areas.

Mahfuzur Rahman, former director general of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), said 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," he added.

Tk50,443.64cr project

In January, 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, former planning adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud said approval should not be rushed given the project's high cost.

The total estimated cost stands at Tk50,443.64 crore. However, the Project Evaluation Committee recommended a phased implementation, proposing Tk34,497 crore for the first phase. Officials said completion is tentatively scheduled for June 2033, with full financing from government resources.

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 inclusion of an assessment of the project's expected GDP contribution in the proposal.

Why the barrage is needed

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, says project documents.

This has increased salinity intrusion in rivers and canals in the south-western region, adversely affecting agriculture, fisheries, forestry, river navigation and access to safe drinking water. It has also put the biodiversity of the Sundarbans and the wider ecosystem under severe threat.

At the same time, districts such as Kushtia, Jashore, Khulna, Faridpur, Rajshahi, Pabna and Barishal depend heavily on the Padma River as a primary source of surface freshwater. 

The Padma Barrage project has therefore been initiated to ensure water storage after the monsoon and regulate flow during the dry season, said the project documents.

The project covers around 37% of Bangladesh's total geographical area, spanning four divisions, 26 districts and 163 upazilas. In the first phase, 120 upazilas across 19 districts are expected to benefit. The project proposal states that the first phase alone will directly benefit 19 districts across four divisions.

What is included in the project

The project includes the 2.1km long main barrage, about, along with 78 spillways, 18 undersluices, fish passes, a navigation lock, guide embankments and approach embankments.

Three offtake structures will also be built for the Gorai, Chandana and Hisna rivers. The Gorai offtake will include 15 spillways, while the Chandana and Hisna offtakes will have 4 and 5 spillways respectively.

The project also includes two hydropower plants, integrated with the barrage and Gorai offtake electrical works, with a combined generation capacity of about 113MW.

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

In addition, about 180km of embankments will be constructed for river training and flood control, along with related infrastructure development works.

'Strategic response to crisis'

Mahfuzur Rahman said dry-season flow in the Padma-Ganges river system was around 70,000 cusecs before the Farakka Barrage. Since 1975, upstream withdrawal has at times reduced flow to 20,000 cusecs or less, severely affecting Bangladesh's river systems.

"If this situation continues, livelihoods across 20 to 25 Padma-dependent districts could face severe disruption, potentially triggering large-scale migration," he warned.

Mahfuzur described the Padma Barrage as a strategic response to the crisis. "It will store water during the monsoon and ensure regulated supply in the dry season and improve water availability.

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

The project also plans to generate around 113MW of hydropower, with further potential for several hundred megawatts through future solar installations along both riverbanks, he added.