Why Bangladesh needs the Padma Barrage
The proposed barrage is aimed at ensuring water storage after the monsoon and regulated supply during the dry season.
The Padma Barrage project is set to be initiated to store water after the monsoon and regulate river flow during the dry season, as upstream water diversion since the construction of the Farakka Barrage in the 1970s has significantly reduced the natural flow of the Padma River, according to project documents.
The decline in dry season flow has increased salinity intrusion in rivers and canals across the south-western region, adversely affecting agriculture, fisheries, forestry, river navigation and access to safe drinking water.
Project documents also said the reduced freshwater flow has put the biodiversity of the Sundarbans and the wider ecosystem under severe threat.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
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.
Against this backdrop, the proposed barrage is aimed at ensuring water storage after the monsoon and regulated supply during the dry season.
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.
According to the main project proposal, the barrage will be built at Pangsha in Rajbari and is expected to store around 2,900 million cubic metres of water.
It will regulate dry season flow from January to May in the Ichhamati-Mathabhanga, Gorai-Madhumati, Chandana-Barasia, Boral and Ichhamati river systems.
Officials have described the project as a strategic response to Bangladesh's long-running dry season water crisis, particularly in the south-western region.
The Padma Barrage project is expected to support irrigation, reduce salinity, restore river systems, protect ecological balance and ensure freshwater availability for agriculture, fisheries, navigation and drinking water purposes.
The total estimated cost of the project is Tk50,443.64 crore, while the first phase has been proposed at Tk34,497 crore. The project is tentatively scheduled for completion by June 2033.
