The government will implement the Padma Barrage Project over the next seven years, aiming to bring long-term changes in agriculture, environment and water management in the southwestern region, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said on Thursday.
He made the announcement while presenting the proposed national budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year in Parliament, setting out a Tk 9.38 trillion budget, one of the largest in the country’s history. Of this, Tk105.33 billion has been proposed for the Ministry of Water Resources.
The finance minister said the Padma Barrage Project has already been approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). The project will be completed within seven years and is expected to bring long-term transformation in agriculture, environment and water management in the southwest.
He said around 37% of the country’s population will directly benefit from the project, covering 120 upazilas across 19 districts in four divisions. He added that the government is also taking initiatives to implement the ‘Teesta Master Plan’ to improve livelihoods and living standards in the northern region.
Earlier, in a parliamentary session on April 6, Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee said the government has initiated construction of a barrage on the Padma River under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The project proposal has already been sent to the Planning Commission for approval. The estimated cost of the project is Tk 344.9725 billion.
During the budget speech, the finance minister said integrated and comprehensive water resources management remains one of the government’s top priorities, with ongoing initiatives covering irrigation, flood management, river erosion control, land reclamation, drainage improvement, waterlogging reduction and salinity prevention.
He said the government is carrying out large-scale canal excavation and re-excavation program nationwide to reduce waterlogging, expand irrigation and maintain environmental balance. A total of 20,000 kilometers of rivers, canals and water bodies will be excavated and re-excavated over the next five years, of which 6,598 kilometers of canal excavation is already underway.
