ECNEC approves Tk 35,000 crore Padma Barrage project

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved the 'Padma Barrage' project at a cost of about Tk 35,000 crore. This important project was approved in a meeting held at the Secretariat on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Tarique Rahman.

Government sources said that since the 1960s, there was a demand to build the Padma Barrage to protect the rivers, agriculture and biodiversity of Faridpur, Khulna, Barisal and Rajshahi regions. Especially after the commissioning of the Farakka Barrage by India in 1975, the need for this project increased further as the flow of the Padma River decreased.

In a briefing after the meeting, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie said that this five-year project will be implemented with full government funding. According to him, if the project is implemented, about seven crore people in 24 districts of the country will directly benefit. The government also hopes that it will play an important role in agriculture, irrigation, river management and environmental conservation.

Responding to a question on whether there will be any discussion with India on this issue, the minister said, "Padma Barrage is an internal matter of Bangladesh. However, the relevant commissions of the two countries are working on the renewal of the Ganga Water Sharing Agreement. There is a plan to start work on the project after the announcement of the next budget," he added.