The Bangladesh government has taken a decisive step toward implementing the multi-dimensional Teesta Master Plan, as the Ministry of Water Resources submitted a Tk 23-crore proposal to the Planning Commission for a comprehensive feasibility study.
Upon approval, an international consultant will be selected through competitive bidding to assess the technical and economic viability of proposed components, including a new barrage, river training, dredging, flood control embankments, and water conservation infrastructure. Water Resources Secretary Dr. AKM Shahabuddin highlighted that the study is essential to determine the viability of each component, which will form the basis for executing the project.
Planning Division Secretary SM Shakil Akhter confirmed that the proposal is being reviewed under standard procedures to evaluate its necessity, costs, and potential regional benefits.
The proposed master plan goes beyond standard barrage construction, offering an integrated framework to address chronic flooding and dry-season water scarcity while driving economic development in northern Bangladesh. Key physical interventions include 110 kilometers of riverbank protection, 110 kilometers of river dredging, 224 kilometers of flood-control embankments topped with roads, construction or repair of 67 spurs, and the reclamation of approximately 170 square kilometers of land. Experts, including BWDB Director General Engineer Md. Ruhul Amin, BUET Professor Dr. Md. Ataur Rahman, and river expert Mohammad Ejaz, emphasized that the study must carefully balance structural interventions—such as dredging sediment management and flow dynamics—with long-term environmental sustainability.
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Reported by National Desk • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
