For decades, shrinking rivers, worsening salinity and growing water scarcity have transformed life across southwestern Bangladesh, threatening agriculture, fisheries, ecosystems and drinking water supplies.
Now, with the approval of the Tk33,474-crore Padma (Ganges) Barrage Project, many see what could be the country’s most ambitious attempt yet to reverse the decline of a region increasingly stressed by reduced upstream flows.
Approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec), the seven-year mega project aims to retain water during the dry season, restore flow in major rivers and distributaries, strengthen irrigation and reduce salinity across large parts of southwestern Bangladesh.
Supporters describe the barrage as a potentially transformative intervention that could benefit nearly seven crore people in 19 districts.
However, water experts caution that while the project offers significant opportunities, its long-term success will depend on careful environmental management and scientific planning.
The proposed barrage will be constructed near Charjiguri village in Rajbari’s Pangsha upazila, an area where local residents have already begun discussing its potential impact.
For farmers, the promise of reliable surface water is perhaps the most significant benefit.
“River water gives better yields than groundwater,” said Ayub Kazi, a trader and landowner in the area.
“Groundwater here contains iron and is not as suitable for cultivation. At the same time, operating diesel-powered irrigation pumps has become increasingly difficult.”
Water specialists say the southwest’s problems extend far beyond farming.
Years of declining Ganges flow have reduced river navigability, damaged fisheries, accelerated salinity intrusion and weakened ecosystems across large parts of the region.
In coastal districts, freshwater shortages have become increasingly severe, forcing many communities to depend on saline or unsafe water sources.
Retired chief engineer and former secretary Engineer Aktar Hossain warned that if salinity continues to advance unchecked, parts of the Khulna region could become increasingly difficult to inhabit by mid-century.
Speaking during a recent visit to Ganges-dependent areas of Rajbari and Kushtia, he said declining freshwater availability has already affected agriculture, fisheries, biodiversity and public health.
Environmental concerns are particularly acute in the Sundarbans, where experts say rising salinity is threatening the world’s largest mangrove forest.
Observers have reported a decline in sundri trees, the species from which the forest derives its name.
Officials of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) believe the barrage could help reverse many of these trends.
Engineer Rashidur Rahman, executive engineer of BWDB’s Water Development Division in Kushtia, said the project would maintain water levels in key distributaries including the Gorai, Modhumati and Hisna rivers, helping restore freshwater flow throughout the southwest.
He said the project would also strengthen the Ganges-Kobadak (GK) irrigation scheme, one of Bangladesh’s largest irrigation systems.
Irrigation coverage could expand from about 55,000 hectares to 95,000 hectares, significantly boosting agricultural production.
The anticipated benefits include increased crop yields, improved fisheries, better navigation, enhanced water security and gradual ecological recovery in areas affected by salinity.
Yet experts stress that large river-control structures are never without risks.
Barrages alter natural river systems, affecting sediment transport, water quality and ecological processes.
Poorly designed interventions can create unintended environmental consequences that may persist for decades.
Engineer Aktar Hossain said policymakers must ensure that extensive environmental studies, computer modelling and impact assessments guide every stage of implementation.
“Every barrage has both positive and negative impacts,” he said. “The challenge is to minimise the adverse effects through proper planning and scientific assessment.”
Environmental researchers have also highlighted concerns over pollution entering Bangladesh through transboundary rivers.
Former Jahangirnagar University vice-chancellor and International Farakka Committee adviser Prof Jasim Uddin Ahmad warned that sediments carried by the Ganges may contain heavy metals and other pollutants that require closer monitoring.
He argued that future water negotiations should focus not only on water quantity but also on water quality, an issue that has received comparatively little attention.
For communities across the southwest, however, the project represents something more immediate: hope.
After decades of watching rivers shrink and freshwater disappear, many residents view the Padma Barrage as a rare opportunity to revive agriculture, protect livelihoods and restore ecological balance.
Whether it ultimately becomes a landmark success in water management or another costly infrastructure challenge will depend on how effectively Bangladesh balances development ambitions with environmental realities.
For now, the barrage stands as one of the country’s most consequential water projects in decades, and perhaps its boldest attempt yet to secure the future of Bangladesh’s increasingly water-stressed southwest.
