PM Tarique Rahman Announces Plans for Teesta and Padma Barrages

Speaking at a civic gathering on Wednesday at the National Institute of Disaster Management Research and Training in Gazipur, the prime minister said the BNP government would move forward with the long-discussed Teesta Barrage project and also begin work on a barrage on the Padma River.

Before addressing the event, he laid the foundation stone of the disaster management research and training institute.

Referring to criticism from rival political groups, Tarique Rahman said BNP leaders had consistently raised the issue of the Teesta and water management when other parties had failed to do so. He specifically mentioned Disaster Management Minister Asadul Habib Dulu for leading political programs focused on the Teesta issue.

Explaining the rationale behind the proposed Padma Barrage, the prime minister said upstream water diversion beyond Bangladesh’s border has significantly reduced dry-season flow in the Padma River. According to him, declining water levels are contributing to environmental degradation, drying surrounding areas and increasing salinity intrusion in the southern region.

He warned that reduced freshwater flow has allowed seawater to enter inland areas, threatening ecosystems including the Sundarbans. Increased salinity, he said, is damaging vegetation and affecting wildlife in coastal areas.

The proposed barrage would help Bangladesh store excess monsoon water for use during the dry season, especially for irrigation and agriculture. The government also plans to expand canal excavation programs to improve water conservation across the country.

The prime minister further stressed the need for climate research and disaster preparedness, noting that Bangladesh remains highly vulnerable to floods, cyclones, earthquakes and other natural disasters due to its dense population and geographical conditions.

He also referred to large-scale deforestation in Cox's Bazar caused by the establishment of temporary shelters for Rohingya refugees fleeing from Myanmar.

The event was chaired by Disaster Management Minister Asadul Habib Dulu and attended by State Minister M Iqbal Hossain, Secretary Saidur Rahman Khan and Disaster Management Department Director General Rezanur Rahman.