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Policy experts, academics and water management specialists have described the proposed Padma Barrage as a strategic national project that could significantly strengthen Bangladesh's water security, improve agricultural production and enhance the country's resilience to climate change.
The observations came at a high-level roundtable titled "The Padma Barrage: Prospects & Challenges", organised by the Institute for Global Cooperation Foundation (IGCF) at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Monday.
Participants agreed that the proposed barrage would play a key role in reducing salinity in the country's southwest, ensuring sustainable irrigation, strengthening food security and promoting integrated, data-driven water resource management.
Prime Minister's Adviser on the Ministries of Finance and Planning Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir said Bangladesh's greatest water challenge is the coexistence of excessive water during one period and severe shortages during another.
He said the 1977 Ganges Water Sharing Treaty remains a landmark in the country's water management history, although many subsequent initiatives have suffered from weak implementation.
According to Titumir, the government has redesigned the Padma Barrage project under the Prime Minister's guidance to reflect public expectations and modern requirements, ending years of policy stagnation.
He expressed optimism that the project could increase Bangladesh's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by between 0.5 and 1.0 percent while substantially expanding irrigation coverage and agricultural output.
Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Environment, Forest and Climate Change Affairs Dr. Md. Saimum Parvez described the Padma Barrage as one of the government's priority mega projects included in its election manifesto.
He said the government is committed to implementing the project quickly under the Prime Minister's direction and reiterated that Bangladesh would follow a "Bangladesh First" policy in managing its water resources.
"We will not accept any external interference regarding our water management. The government will take every necessary step to resolve water-related challenges and disasters for the welfare of our people," he said.
Foundation for Strategic and Development Studies (FSDS) Chairman Major General (Retd) Fazle Elahi Akbar highlighted the project's geopolitical importance, stressing that transparency and effective cost management would be essential for its successful implementation.
He also referred to China's large upstream hydropower project on the Brahmaputra River, saying such regional developments reinforce the strategic importance of the Padma Barrage for protecting Bangladesh's downstream interests.
IGCF Chairman Mahmudur Rahman Shaon said the government approved the first phase of the project on May 13 at an estimated cost of Tk 34,497 crore, to be financed entirely from domestic resources.
He said the project would benefit four divisions and 19 districts, directly improving the lives of nearly 70 million people.
Besides expanding irrigation, the barrage would help reduce salinity in the southwest, manage siltation and protect the biodiversity of the Sundarbans, he added.
Moderating the discussion, North South University Professor Dr. Bulbul Siddiqi said outdated infrastructure currently limits adequate water flow from the Padma to the Gorai River, even when sufficient water is available.
He stressed the importance of scientific planning to modernise water infrastructure, conserve water during the dry season and restore river connectivity to address salinity and environmental degradation.
Among others, National Press Club General Secretary Ayub Bhuiyan, Dhaka Central University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Nurul Islam, National Professor Dr. Mahbub Ullah, North South University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Abdul Hannan Chowdhury and Professor Dr. Md. Sirajul Islam attended the programme.
Participants concluded that the Padma Barrage is essential for ensuring Bangladesh's long-term water security, environmental sustainability and climate resilience, while calling for continued policy dialogue and science-based planning to address the project's technical and diplomatic challenges.
