DHAKA : The Padma Barrage Project has emerged as a major development initiative for Bangladesh's southwestern region with expectations of enhancing agricultural production, creating employment opportunities and transforming the economic landscape of 24 districts in the region significantly.

Officials and experts opined that the project will bring far-reaching changes in river management, environmental sustainability and the livelihoods of millions of people living in the region.

State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad told BSS that the Padma Barrage Project is not merely a river-centric initiative but a project closely linked to the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the southwestern part of the country.

“The full potential of the region's river system could not be utilized due to navigability problems and limited management over the years,” he said, noting that the project would bring considerable improvements in river management, water conservation, irrigation facilities, riverbank protection and flood control.

“Once implemented, the project will increase agricultural production, generate employment opportunities and positively impact the regional economy of 161 upazilas across the 24 districts, benefiting nearly five crore people in the region,” he added.

The Padma Barrage notably being considered as a promising solution to challenges such as- river erosion, irrigation shortages during the dry season and regional economic disparities.

Experts say that the project's full-scale implementation and expansion could have significant direct and indirect impacts on the country's economy, agriculture, employment, environment and overall quality of life.

According to agricultural experts, the project could help convert more than 200,000 hectares of single-crop land into double-crop land and over 100,000 hectares into triple-crop land.

The availability of freshwater instead of saline water in coastal and southwestern areas is expected to improve soil fertility and substantially increase food production and also could create opportunities for producing additional tonnes of food grains annually.

Currently, average Boro rice production in the southwestern region ranges between 4.5 and 5 tonnes per hectare. Researchers believe that with reliable irrigation and modern agricultural technologies, yields could rise to between 6 and 7 tonnes per hectare.

Similarly, wheat production could increase from 3.5 tonnes to 4.5 tonnes per hectare, maize production from 8 tonnes to 10–12 tonnes, and potato production from 25 tonnes to 30–35 tonnes per hectare.

Member of Parliament from Goalanda in Rajbari district and State Minister for Cultural Affairs Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam told BSS that people living along the Padma River are eagerly waiting for implementation of the project soon.

“The people of Rajbari and the entire southwestern region are grateful to Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman for supporting this long-cherished initiative,” he said.

The state minister added that the project has already received approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).

Water resource specialists believe the project could open new possibilities for controlling river erosion and flood risks in the southwestern region.

The government has approved the Padma Barrage Project at an estimated cost of Tk 34,497 crore to address water shortages in the southwestern region and revive dying rivers.

The mega project, fully financed from domestic resources, is scheduled for completion by June 2033.

///Experts estimate that increased agricultural production from the project could directly benefit three to four million people, while farmers' incomes may rise by 25 to 40 percent.

According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), the Padma River stretches approximately 341 kilometers within Bangladesh. Every year, hundreds of hectares of agricultural land are lost to river erosion. 

Over the past two decades, an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 hectares of farmland in Padma basin areas have been affected and on average, 10,000 to 15,000 families living along the river face direct threats from erosion annually.

Experts suggested that regular dredging, riverbank protection structures and improved flow management could reduce erosion rates by 30 to 50 percent. While the use of geo-bags, concrete blocks and permanent protective infrastructure in vulnerable areas could help safeguard thousands of hectares of farmland.

Water resource specialists further noted that improved water retention, regulated flow and enhanced drainage systems could significantly reduce flood intensity and increasing the river's water-carrying capacity could lower the risk of flash floods by 20 to 30 percent, they said.

Notably, the Padma Barrage project provide protection against flooding and river erosion for two to 2.5 million people while safeguarding agricultural production, roads, bridges, educational institutions and homesteads.

The facility also preserves the potential of leading to the establishment of more than 1,000 small and medium-sized agro-based enterprises in the southwestern region.

According to data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and economic analysts, each agro-based industries generates employment for 20 to 30 people on an average by investing Taka one crore.

Based on this estimate, project-related investments could create 100,000 to 200,000 additional jobs in the long term.

Experts further noted that increased agricultural production would inject more money into local markets, with an estimated three to four million people directly and indirectly benefiting from the economic activity.