Taps running dry: How Bangladesh is draining its groundwater — and its future
According to BWDB, in Dhaka, groundwater levels are dropping by as much as two metres each year, making the region highly vulnerable. In the countryside, the story is no better
Recently, many residents in the capital's Ibrahimpur area have been forced to abandon their homes. The culprit? Taps that have run dry for weeks, forcing families to buy bottled water and depend on a limited night-time supply from Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA).
According to Dhaka WASA officials the crisis can be attributed to declining groundwater levels in the area.
Md Ershadul Haque, executive engineer (MODS Zone-10), told TBS in a recent report that Ibrahimpur has around 10,000 holdings housing several thousand families, most of whom are dependent on groundwater.
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"The population has increased sharply, but the groundwater level has fallen drastically, leaving pumps unable to meet demand," he said.
Awareness regarding depleting groundwater levels have yet to garner the necessary public attention, but some people have begun raising concerns.
For instance, a few months ago, a bottled water brand from Barishal named Amrita captured attention online — not for its mineral content, but its sleek bottle design and refreshing taste. Several content creators praised it, and social media posts speak of a new local favourite.
Fortunately while many people are celebrating, some voices are starting to express concern.
Beneath videos and posts, comments are surfacing that tell a different story. Local residents from the factory's surrounding area claim that the production of this popular water is leaving their tube wells dry.
Joy De, an engineer of Amrita Consumer Food Product Company told Desh Rupantor, "We extract only 11,000 to 14,000 litres of water daily, which is equal to a family's daily water requirement. We draw water from a 1,040-feet deep well, which does not impact the local groundwater level. Instead, we extract within the limits approved by the government."
Locals, on the other hand, tell a different story.
"I used to get water from my tube well every day. Now, it is completely dry. How is this allowed?" one user asked on a social media post.
Another wrote, "Aesthetic packaging is fine, but not at the cost of our water. We are suffering while a company profits."
This is not an isolated case, it is a symptom of a deeper, widespread crisis.
Professor Kazi Matin Uddin Ahmed of Dhaka University's Department of Geology explained, "If a large amount of water is extracted, the water level in that area can fall. Ordinary people generally use shallow tube wells, so in such cases, they may face water shortages.
"At present, we are using significantly more groundwater for purposes such as agriculture, industry, and urbanisation. Additionally, in various regions, underground water is being used for irrigation. In many of these areas, the water is not being replenished," he said, adding, "Where replenishment is not taking place, the water level is declining. This is happening most severely in areas like Dhaka, Gazipur, and the Barind region."
Across Bangladesh, people depend heavily on groundwater.
According to Dr Khairul Bashar, a professor of the Department of Geological Sciences at Jahangirnagar University, agriculture, which remains the country's economic backbone, withdraws a staggering 86% of all water used for human purposes.
Domestic use accounts for 12%, while industries use just 2%. Yet it is often that smallest percentage — industries — which causes the most disruption locally, especially when heavy extraction is concentrated in a limited area.
This phenomenon touches the lives of both rural farmers and urban dwellers.
In Dhaka, the ground is covered in concrete, preventing rainwater from seeping down to recharge aquifers. Instead of being absorbed, rainwater stagnates on roads, causing waterlogging, while underground reservoirs continue to dry out.
According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), in Dhaka, groundwater levels are dropping by as much as two metres each year, making the region highly vulnerable. In 1996, the water table in Dhaka was 25 metres below ground level, which dropped to 45 metres in 2005, 60 metres in 2010, and reached 75 metres by 2023.
In the countryside, the story is no better.
"At present, we are using significantly more groundwater for purposes such as agriculture, industry, and urbanisation. Additionally, in various regions, underground water is being used for irrigation. In many of these areas, the water is not being replenished. Where replenishment is not taking place, the water level is declining. This is happening most severely in areas like Dhaka, Gazipur, and the Barind region."
The Barind region, often described as the driest part of the country, is facing an ecological and agricultural emergency. Water levels have fallen so dramatically that irrigation is no longer viable in some areas. This has led to reduced crop yields and growing financial stress for farmers.
"In the northwest and north-central regions, wells for drinking and irrigation run dry at the end of the dry season," said Dr Bashar. "Our detailed study of that region shows that over-pumping is the main reason — withdrawals are greater than recharge."
When the shallow sources run dry, the poor suffer the most. Wealthier residents and businesses can drill deeper or pay for piped supply, but many families rely on hand-pumped tube wells — a technology that is no match for this invisible crisis.
The underlying reasons are complex but not surprising. Climate change has reduced rainfall in some regions. Concrete urban sprawl blocks natural recharge. But above all, there is no real system of governance over how much water can be extracted, or by whom.
"Given the current situation, there is no proper control over how water is being extracted," Professor Matin said. "People draw water as they wish. In some places, permits are issued, that is true. However, the authority issuing the permits does not have access to the necessary precise data and information to make informed decisions."
Unlike in many countries where groundwater management is a dedicated field with specialised agencies, Bangladesh relies on a small unit within the Water Development Board, according to Professor Matin. Its mandate is narrow, and its reach limited.
The consequences are not only environmental — they are social and economic. As water becomes scarcer, tensions rise. Farmers are pitted against factories, and rural communities face displacement as their land becomes unproductive. Health risks increase as people are forced to use poor-quality water from unsafe sources.
So, what can be done?
Experts say the solution lies in a combination of better data, stricter regulation and a shift in public behaviour. Rainwater harvesting, artificial recharge methods and reduced reliance on groundwater for agriculture are essential.
"We need to improve the efficiency of the usage of water used in agriculture," said Dr Bashar. "At the same time, aquifer recharge and discharge must be balanced."
He also emphasised that changing and diversifying cropping patterns could play a key role in managing groundwater more sustainably. By shifting to less water-intensive crops and adopting smarter farming practices, farmers can help reduce the pressure on already declining groundwater resources.
Finally, the government must also act. The groundwater governance policies should also be revised, according to Dr Bashar.
Public awareness is also a key tool here. Without understanding how much water can be safely extracted, people may unknowingly overuse this vital resource. This lack of awareness can lead to long-term damage that is difficult to reverse.
As Professor Matin said, "If we extract more water than what can be sustainably withdrawn from the existing underground supply — without knowing that sustainable limit — then this also contributes to the lowering of the groundwater level.
"We must treat this as a priority and move forward accordingly, otherwise in the future, the people of this country will face a severe crisis," he concluded.
