Dhaka: Policy analysts, academics, and water management experts today described the proposed Padma Barrage as a strategic national project that could strengthen Bangladesh's water security, boost agricultural productivity, and enhance climate resilience.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the observations were made at a high-level roundtable discussion titled "The Padma Barrage: Prospects and Challenges," organized by the Institute for Global Cooperation Foundation (IGCF) at the Tofazzal Hossain Manik Miah Hall of the National Press Club in the city. The participants agreed that the project would play a crucial role in combating salinity in the country's southwest, ensuring sustainable irrigation, safeguarding food security, and promoting integrated, data-driven water management.
Prime Minister's Adviser on the Ministries of Finance and Planning, Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, highlighted Bangladesh's fundamental water challenge of having too much water or too little. He noted that the 1977 Ganges Water Sharing Treaty was a historic milestone in water management, but subsequent initiatives had suffered from weak implementation. Titumir expressed optimism that the Padma Barrage project, redesigned under the Prime Minister's guidance, could add between 0.5 and 1.0 percent to the country's GDP, while significantly expanding irrigation coverage and agricultural production.
Prime Minister's Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Affairs Special Assistant, Dr. Md. Saimum Parvez, emphasized the project's status as a priority mega project in the government's election manifesto. He reaffirmed the commitment to swiftly implement the project under the Prime Minister's direction, asserting a "Bangladesh First" policy in water resource management. "We will not accept any external interference regarding our water management," he stated, ensuring that the government would address water-related challenges and disasters for the people's welfare.
Chairman of the Foundation for Strategic and Development Studies (FSDS), Major General (Retd) Fazle Elahi Akbar, underscored the project's geopolitical significance, highlighting the need for transparent management and effective cost control for successful implementation. He referenced China's upstream hydropower project on the Brahmaputra River, noting the strategic necessity of the Padma Barrage to safeguard Bangladesh's downstream interests.
IGCF Chairman Mahmudur Rahman Shaon announced that the government approved the first phase of the project on May 13, with an estimated cost of Tk 34,497 crore, financed entirely from domestic resources. The project is expected to benefit four divisions and 19 districts, directly improving the lives of nearly 70 million people. Besides strengthening irrigation, the barrage would help control salinity in the southwest, manage siltation, and protect the biodiversity of the Sundarbans.
Moderating the discussion, Dr. Bulbul Siddiqi, Professor of Political Science and Sociology at North South University, pointed out that outdated infrastructure prevents adequate water flow from the Padma to the Gorai River. He stressed the need for scientific planning to modernize water infrastructure, conserve water during the dry season, and restore river connectivity to combat salinity and environmental degradation.
Among the attendees were National Press Club General Secretary Ayub Bhuiyan, Dhaka Central University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Nurul Islam, National Professor Dr. Mahbub Ullah, North South University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, and NSU Professor Dr. Md. Sirajul Islam. The participants concluded that the Padma Barrage is vital for ensuring Bangladesh's long-term water security, environmental sustainability, and climate resilience. They called for continued policy dialogue and science-based planning to address the project's technical and diplomatic challenges.