Bangladesh advances Teesta river development plan, eyes Padma Barrage benefits

Bangladesh is moving forward with a comprehensive plan to develop the Teesta river, a vital waterway for the country's northern region. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman announced in Parliament that surveys for the Teesta Master Plan have been completed, paving the way for technical and financial assessments for a new barrage.

The ambitious Teesta Master Plan encompasses a wide range of infrastructure projects. These include 110 kilometers of riverbank protection and training, dredging along the same distance, and the construction of flood-control embankments stretching 224 kilometers. The plan also involves building and rehabilitating groynes and related structures to better manage the river's flow and combat erosion.

Prime Minister Rahman highlighted the critical importance of the Teesta river to the livelihoods of millions. He noted that reduced dry-season water flow, exacerbated by upstream dams, impacts agriculture, including the Teesta Irrigation Project. Conversely, heavy monsoon rains often lead to devastating floods and severe riverbank erosion.

In addition to the Teesta project, the government is advancing the Padma Barrage project, approved for implementation at a cost of Tk 34,347 crore. This project is anticipated to generate 113MW of hydroelectric power, increase the country's GDP by 0.45 percent, and improve water security, reduce salinity intrusion in the south, and restore the Sundarbans' ecological balance. These initiatives underscore the government's commitment to water resource management and climate change adaptation.