BNP government will begin work on Padma Barrage, Teesta Barrage projects: Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman
Dhaka; May 20
Bangladesh Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said his government will start work on the Padma Barrage and Teesta Barrage projects.
"I want to clearly state that this BNP government will begin work on the Padma Barrage and also on the Teesta Barrage. BNP (Bangladesh National Party) carried out various programmes regarding the Teesta issue. Therefore, if anyone has worked, delivered, and prepared the ground, it is the BNP," he said.
Rahman made the remarks while addressing a civic gathering after laying the foundation stone of the National Disaster Management Research and Training Institute building in Gazipur near Dhaka this afternoon.
The Bangladesh government recently approved the construction of the Padma barrage, and now Rahman has announced the construction of the Teesta barrage as well.
The announcement of the Teesta barrage has been made ahead of Rahman's visit to China towards the end of June.
It is expected that during his visit to China, the financing for the Teesta barrage, along with various other projects, will be discussed and it will involve billions of dollars.
Stating that the Bangladesh government has already decided to construct the Padma Barrage in the country's northern and southern regions, especially on the Padma River in Rajshahi, Rahman said "Bangladesh receives less water during the dry season".
"Over the border, barrages are being built and water is being diverted in different ways, while we receive less water during the dry season," he said.
"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 added.
Rahman claimed that sea water is entering the southern region because of the Farakka Barrage.
"As a result, salinity is increasing in areas, including the Sundarbans. Many plants are being damaged, while animals are becoming extinct".
"Therefore, we must construct the barrage and preserve excess monsoon water for use during the dry season," he said.
There have been disagreements over shared river flows between Bangladesh and India.
In 1996, a treaty was signed on the sharing of the Ganges River water between the two countries. This treaty will end at the end of this year in December, and officials in Bangladesh said that discussions are taking place between the two sides about renewing the agreement.
Officials also said Bangladesh and India agreed on a water-sharing treaty for the Teesta River, it has not yet been signed due to opposition from West Bengal. They said former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee opposed it.
— ANI
Reader Comments
But why is the Bangladesh PM talking about 'water being diverted over the border'? That sounds like blaming India. Farakka Barrage was built decades ago and operates under a treaty. If they build these barrages, will they share water with India during floods? Let's have a fair dialogue instead of one-sided announcements. 🤔
As someone from Bihar, I know how critical the Ganges and its tributaries are. Bangladesh has every right to manage its water resources. But blaming Farakka for salinity in Sundarbans is oversimplifying - climate change and sea level rise are bigger factors. Instead of finger-pointing, both countries should jointly study the hydrology. Science, not politics! 🌊
I support this from a development perspective. Bangladesh needs to store monsoon water for dry season. But our government should clear the air - is India really diverting water illegally? The Teesta treaty was stalled by West Bengal politics, not by Delhi. Maybe the new West Bengal government can be more pragmatic? 🤷♂️
Interesting timing - announcing both barrages just before a China visit. Is Bangladesh using China as a counterweight to India? Beijing is happy to fund infrastructure in South Asia. India needs to step up its game on regional connectivity and water diplomacy, or risk losing influence. The geopolitical angle here is strong. 🧐
Look, we share 54 rivers with Bangladesh. Of course they can build barrages on their territory - that's their sovereign right. But accusing India of causing 'extinction' in Sund
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