The Padma Barrage was one of the key promises in the election manifesto of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party government. Since the 1960s, demands have persisted for the barrage construction to protect rivers, agriculture, and biodiversity in the Faridpur, Khulna, Barisal, and Rajshahi regions. However, the project never saw implementation. The current government has finally taken the initiative to construct the Padma Barrage.
The project is scheduled to be placed at the upcoming meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on May 13. Once implemented, the project is expected to revive around 623 small and large rivers across the region and improve water availability. At the same time, irrigation water will become available for nearly 4.77 million hectares of farmland.
Relevant officials said implementation of the Padma Barrage project would benefit farmers living along riverbanks. It is also expected to ease the drinking water crisis in the Khulna and Rajshahi regions, reduce salinity, and restore dying rivers. The project is anticipated to bring positive changes to agriculture, fisheries, and the environment.
The Padma Barrage project has been discussed multiple times over the past few decades, according to sources at the Planning Commission. However, it failed to materialise each time for various reasons. The former interim government had taken the initiative to place the project before ECNEC in January this year, but later withdrew from that decision. After assuming office in February, the current elected government announced plans to construct the Padma Barrage.
The approximately BDT 520 billion project will be implemented in two phases. In the first phase, infrastructure, hydropower facilities, several spillway gates, a navigation lock, and two fish passes will be constructed at a cost of around BDT 334.74 billion. Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) will implement the project. If final approval is granted, work is expected to begin next month and continue until June 2033.
Speaking to Bonik Barta, Abdul Hamid, additional chief engineer of the BWDB, said, “If the project is approved, the first phase will mainly involve construction of the Padma Barrage, the Gorai off-take structure, a control structure at the mouth of the Chandana River, development and dredging of several important river systems, and water conservation and supply facilities. There will also be hydropower arrangements in the Gorai section. Once implemented, the project will help ensure water flow in the Padma and its distributary rivers during the dry season. Adequate water will be available for irrigation. Cultivation during the dry season will consequently expand, and multiple crop production will become possible in many areas. This will increase agricultural output.”
Sites have been selected in the Pangsha area of Rajbari District along the Padma River for the construction of the barrage and several related infrastructures in the first phase of the project, according to the Development Project Proposal (DPP). The Padma River is the only source of surface-level potable water for large parts of the greater Kushtia, Jashore, Khulna, Faridpur, Rajshahi, Pabna, and Barisal regions. Preserving water in the river after the monsoon and ensuring controlled flow during the dry season are expected to address the region’s water crisis.
Under the project, a 2.1-kilometre barrage will be constructed, along with 78 spillway gates, each measuring 18 metres wide. In addition, there will be 18 under-sluice gates. A 14-meter-wide navigation lock will be built for water transport, alongside two fish passes, each 20 meters wide.
The proposal estimates that BDT 186.02 billion will be spent on constructing the barrage and related infrastructure. Another BDT 7.43 billion has been allocated for electrical works and construction of a hydropower plant, while BDT 4.19 billion has been proposed for electrical works and hydropower facilities related to the Gorai off-take structure. The project also includes a proposed expenditure of BDT 12.08 billion for dredging the Gorai and Madhumati rivers, BDT 13.41 billion for drainage and re-excavation of the Hisna river system, BDT 7.06 billion for constructing afflux embankments, and BDT 2 billion for building Chandana and Hisna off-take infrastructure.
Sources related to the project said people in 120 upazilas across 19 districts under four divisions are expected to benefit from the initiative. Around 623 small and large rivers, including distributaries of the Padma and Jamuna rivers such as the Hisna, Mathabhanga, Gorai, Madhumati, Chandana, Baral, and Ichamati rivers, will gain improved water availability.
The project will also cover various distributaries, tributaries, canals, beels, and reservoirs, creating an interconnected water flow network. The Padma Barrage is expected to revitalise five river systems — Hisna-Mathabhanga, Gorai-Madhumati, Chandana-Barashia, Baral, and Ichamati.
The project also aims to reduce saline water intrusion in the southwestern districts of Satkhira, Khulna, and Bagerhat. By ensuring freshwater supply, it seeks to restore the ecological balance of the Sundarbans and help preserve biodiversity and forest resources.
In addition, sediment removal from rivers in the southwestern region is expected to reduce waterlogging in areas, including Bhabadah in Jashore and improve drainage systems in Padma-dependent regions.
Author and researcher Mahbub Siddiqui said, “If water is retained through the construction of the Padma Barrage, it will be possible to maintain comparatively higher water levels in the river from Rajshahi to Chapainawabganj. Water stored in the barrage will be diverted through different river routes to ensure continuous water flow in these rivers during the dry season. At the same time, it will help reduce the water crisis in the southwestern and northwestern regions.”
The project will be placed at the current government’s third ECNEC meeting on May 13, according to sources at the Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Institutions Division of the Planning Commission. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to chair the meeting. Around BDT 334.74 billion has been allocated for the project’s first phase.
Md Mahmudul Hossain Khan, member (secretary) of the Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Institutions Division, told Bonik Barta, “The Padma Barrage project has undergone surveys and feasibility studies for many years. A few months ago, the project’s DPP was submitted to us. After reviewing and evaluating it, we provided the necessary recommendations. Since this is an important project, we’ve recommended its approval.”
Before the election, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had promised the construction of the Padma Barrage at a public rally in Rajshahi. After meeting the prime minister on May 6, Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie hinted at the project’s approval. Speaking to journalists at the time, he said, “The study report, technical aspects, and surveys related to the Padma Barrage are almost complete. The project will be presented at the next ECNEC meeting. The barrage is extremely important for the benefit of one-third of Bangladesh’s population. Before the election, the prime minister spoke about this project and committed to Rajshahi.”
Earlier, during a question-and-answer session in the national parliament on April 16, the water resources minister had also reiterated plans to construct the Padma Barrage in line with the election manifesto.
The Padma Barrage and Gorai off-take structure will also include hydropower generation facilities. The project is expected to generate around 113 megawatts of electricity annually. At the same time, nearly 2900 million cubic meters of water will be conserved during the dry season, helping restore flow to the Hisna-Mathabhanga, Gorai-Madhumati, Chandana-Barashia, Ichamati, and Baral river systems.
In addition, around 340 kilometres of dredging work will be carried out to revive the Gorai and Baral rivers. During the dry season, the barrage is planned to release a minimum of 570 cubic meters of water per second.