Dhaka, May 20 — Bangladesh Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman announced on Wednesday that his government will start work on both the Padma Barrage and the Teesta Barrage projects.
Speaking after laying the foundation stone for the National Disaster Management Research and Training Institute building in Gazipur, near Dhaka, Rahman said the BNP had already undertaken various programmes related to the Teesta issue and therefore had prepared the ground for the project.
“I want to clearly state that this BNP government will begin work on the Padma Barrage and also on the Teesta Barrage,” he said, adding that the party had been active on the Teesta matter previously.
The government has recently approved construction of the Padma barrage, and Rahman’s announcement extended that commitment to the Teesta barrage. He made the Teesta declaration ahead of an expected visit to China at the end of June, where officials anticipate discussing financing for the Teesta project and other infrastructure proposals, potentially involving billions of dollars.
Rahman said the barrages are intended to address seasonal water shortages. He noted that Bangladesh receives less water during the dry season and accused upstream works across the border of diverting flows, leaving farmers and communities short of water. “We want to construct this barrage so that people and farmers in our country can get water on time during both monsoon and dry seasons,” he said.
He also blamed the Farakka Barrage for increased saline intrusion into southern regions, including parts of the Sundarbans, saying rising salinity is damaging plant life and threatening wildlife. Rahman emphasized the need to capture excess monsoon water for use in the dry season.
The announcement comes amid longstanding disputes with India over shared river flows. A 1996 treaty on Ganges water sharing is due to expire in December, and officials from both countries are reportedly discussing renewal. While Bangladesh and India have reached agreement on a water-sharing arrangement for the Teesta River, it has not been signed, reportedly due to opposition from West Bengal authorities, including former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and published as received.)
