Over the past few decades, drastic climate change has caused a severe water crisis in the Barind region. As a result, both the way of life and livelihoods of its people have been altered. Environmentalists and researchers say the temperature in this region is higher than in other parts of Bangladesh, while rainfall has decreased by nearly 40 percent. The past ten years have seen an alarming decline in rainfall, leaving the area rainless for nearly eight months a year. The region’s dense clay soil stops rainwater from seeping underground. Moreover, it is 48 meters above sea level. The rivers are also not navigable, largely due to the inequality in water-sharing between India and Bangladesh. For these reasons, the groundwater level in the Barind region has dropped drastically since 2000, and it severely affects local life and agriculture.
According to the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), the region includes Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Bogura, and Pabna districts — areas known for their vast tracts of triple-crop farmland producing rice, wheat, and other crops. The Barind region remains one of Bangladesh’s key rice-producing zones. From sowing to harvesting, paddy requires a lot of water, which is not required by any other crop. Since there is no natural water supply, BMDA supplies irrigation water through about 2,500 deep tube wells across this region, drawing water from underground. Due to severe water shortages, the Barind Track has been prone to drought since 2009. Rainfall in the region has also been erratic and scanty for the past 10 years. Meanwhile, the continuous water extraction throughout the year has significantly lowered the groundwater level.
In response, the development organization BRAC has recently initiated several projects involving around 50 marginalized communities in Rajshahi, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj, and Joypurhat. Speaking to Bonik Barta, Mithun Majid, Senior Manager at BRAC, said, “Water scarcity is the most pressing problem in the Barind region. Once, paddy was the dominant crop here, and many low-income people worked as farm laborers or sharecroppers. But as water became scarce gradually, people began shifting toward mango cultivation, leaving many marginalized groups jobless. We’re now providing training, loans, and technical support in agriculture, fisheries, livestock, and cottage industries to help them rebuild their livelihoods. Now, they have been using plastic silt in their houses and nearby ponds and canals to collect rainwater and use it for vegetable cultivation for a long time. In rural areas, they are able to collect rainwater by using polythene in ponds and use that water for daily purposes, including cultivation. Currently, they have become self-sufficient through various activities such as fish farming, animal husbandry, vegetable farming, and making organic fertilizer.”
In Laxmipur village of Sapahar Upazila in Naogaon, Susheela Joseph, a woman from the Santal community, has transformed her surroundings into a farmland after receiving training from BRAC. Now, she raises ducks, chickens, cows, and goats.
She said, “There used to be a lot of bushes and fallow land around my home. After receiving training, I cleared the area and started growing trees and vegetables. To address water shortages, I made a small ditch line with polythene to collect water in the rainy season, which I now use for irrigation. My family and I are doing much better now.”
Abdur Rahim, a boatman and fisherman from Chapainawabganj, once earned his living from the Mahananda River. But with the river running dry, there are no fish left to catch and no passengers to ferry. Forced by circumstance, he has left behind his ancestral profession and now works as a construction laborer in Rajshahi. He told Bonik Barta, “The river was once the lifeline of my family. But for the past ten years, there’s barely any water for eight months of the year, and for several years, there has been no water at all. Fishing, ferrying people, and farming on the river chars once sustained us. Now, I’ve had to leave that behind and move to Rajshahi as a construction worker.”
From the same area, Sukanta Hembron recalled a similar story of change. “Fifteen to twenty years ago, paddy was the only crop grown here. Later, on the advice of agricultural officers, everyone started planting mango orchards, which reduced our work opportunities. But about a year ago, BRAC began training us in improved farming techniques. Now we grow vegetables in nearby bushes and fields, which provides us enough to meet our needs and earn money by selling the surplus in local markets.”
Simli Kundu from Chinasho village of Tanore Upazila in Rajshahi shared her experience with Bonik Barta. “Because of the severe water crisis, many people in the Barind region have become jobless. With no farming work available, villagers are moving to towns to work as laborers. Most people from the Ampukuriya village now work in the city — some pull rickshaws, others work in hotels or on construction sites. Due to the shortage of water, farming in our area has sharply declined.”
A 2023 study by the Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO) titled “Hydrological Investigation and Modeling of the State of Surface and Groundwater Resources in the High Barind Region” confirms the same reality. The research, led by Professor Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan of the Department of Geology and Mining at Rajshahi University (RU), is still ongoing.
Professor Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan told Bonik Barta, “There is a severe water crisis in the Barind region. During summer, people sometimes go eight to ten days without bathing due to the lack of water. They collect water from distant deep tube wells just to survive. But the crisis isn’t caused by climate change alone. Filling up of ponds in towns, lack of new pond excavation in villages, deforestation because of unplanned urbanization, and encroachment and pollution of rivers and canals have all worsened the situation. The negligence and irregularities of institutions responsible for agriculture and environmental conservation have further disrupted the natural balance, endangering biodiversity and human livelihoods alike.”
Regarding the changes in livelihoods caused by the water crisis, he explained, “When people can no longer grow paddy or other crops due to lack of water, they naturally turn to alternative livelihoods. Many farmers have shifted to mango cultivation, which provides income for three months and sustains them for the rest of the year. Once the mango season ends, they have time to take up other work—driving rickshaws, working in construction, or engaging in jobs that match their skills. This climate-induced shift in the job market may have increased overall labor productivity, but it has reduced agricultural labor, negatively affecting the farming sector. For instance, during the paddy harvest season, it’s now difficult to find workers. A day’s work in the field pays BDT 500–700, while rickshaw-pulling in the city earns BDT 1,000–1,200 a day. Similarly, in coastal areas, many have switched from rice farming to shrimp cultivation, which requires far fewer workers compared to other sectors. As a result, to avoid unemployment, people are turning to brick kilns, construction work, or rickshaw-pulling in cities. The same trend is visible in the Barind region, where the expansion of mango orchards amid a worsening water crisis is pushing people toward urban migration.”
Commenting on the rural population displaced from traditional livelihoods, he added, “Due to changing weather patterns and climate conditions, a large number of rural people have become unemployed or have shifted to different types of work for survival. The government should identify these communities and provide them with training and institutional support to build a skilled workforce. Otherwise, they could become a major socio-economic burden in the future. To address the water crisis, we’re working with WARPO, BRAC, PKSF, and Swiss organizations on several projects—such as raising groundwater levels, ensuring safe drinking water, removing arsenic contamination, and promoting water reservation and reuse systems—all aimed at protecting rural livelihoods.”
Meanwhile, Sofi Uddin Ahmed, President of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) in Rajshahi, said, “The depletion of groundwater in the Barind region is not only due to climate change but also human activities. Hundreds of deep tube wells have been installed indiscriminately, drying up the underground water table. Traditional irrigation systems that once relied on deepened ponds at the heights of the Barind were abandoned. No plan was made to utilize the Padma River water. In the name of development, countless water bodies have been destroyed, along with their unique fish species and aquatic plants. Natural forests have disappeared, and with them, birds, snakes, monkeys, and many other creatures. The renowned sanctuary Babu Dying, once a refuge for biodiversity, no longer exists. Corrupt syndicates are exploiting farmers through unfair irrigation and electricity fees, and in some cases, farmers have taken their own lives due to the water crisis. Deputy Commissioner (DC), Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), the BMDA, and politicians cannot avoid the responsibility. Without good governance and the protection of citizens’ rights, everyone’s life and livelihood will be at risk. The government must legislate to protect canals, rivers, and urban water bodies, restrict the extraction of groundwater, and ensure the use of surface water. Only then can the people of Barind hope for a sustainable change in their lives and livelihoods.”
Speaking about the need to prevent the indiscriminate use of groundwater and ensure surface water utilization under BMDA, the organization’s Executive Director, Md Tarikul Alam, told Bonik Barta, “In a recent meeting with WARPO, three districts of the Barind region—Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, and Naogaon—have been officially declared crisis-prone areas. Considering the severity of the situation, we’ve started using double-lifting methods to draw water from the Mahananda River for irrigation purposes. This initiative will help reduce the dependence on groundwater and gradually raise the underground water table.” When asked about the unplanned irrigation practices under BMDA’s deep tube wells, he replied, “I have no such information regarding that matter.”
When asked about the adverse effects of climate change on biodiversity, life, and livelihood in the Barind region, Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner Khondoker Azim Ahmed told Bonik Barta, “At the moment, I’m not aware of any specific details on this issue. If I receive any document or report in writing, I’ll be able to comment accordingly.”