C T Online Desk: SANGSAD BHABAN, June 29, 2026- Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today categorically said that the Teesta barrage master plan will be implemented at any cost to ensure the country’s water security, support agriculture and improve the livelihoods of people in the northern region describing it as a national priority.
“The government is committed to resolving the country’s long-standing water management challenges through major investments in rivers, canals, and irrigation infrastructure,” he said while taking part in the general discussion on the proposed budget for fiscal year of 2026–27 in the House.
Tarique Rahman said water remains one of the biggest concerns for the people of the Rajshahi and Rangpur regions as MPs regularly raise various issues relating to the Padma and Teesta rivers. “We are working relentlessly to address these problems,” he categorically said.
Highlighting year-round water availability for agriculture as one of the government’s key objectives, the prime minister said the government has already initiated plans to construct the Padma Barrage as excess water during the monsoon would be stored and utilized during the dry season for agriculture and other sectors.
“The Padma Barrage will enable us to store surplus monsoon water so that it can be supplied to farmers and other essential sectors throughout the dry season and at other times of the year,” he said.
The prime minister noted that Bangladesh has long suffered from the lack of integrated river management, water conservation, flood control, and inter-river connectivity. As a result, many rivers have lost their navigability, while irrigation and water shortages have emerged in various parts of the country, he added.
“I have visited areas where, despite being surrounded by water during the monsoon, farmers just a short distance away cannot irrigate their fields because of water scarcity. To address this problem, nationwide canal excavation and re-excavation programmes have already begun,” he said.
The prime minister said the government plans to excavate and re-excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals over the next five years to improve water flow, irrigation systems, and flood management.
“Work is already underway under the canal excavation programme. In just the past three months, approximately 900 kilometres of canals have been excavated or re-excavated,” he told the House.
