BMDA, which contributes immensely to the progress of the region of the Rajshahi region
Photo: BSS
From MD Aynal Haque
Rajshahi, August 11, 2025 (BSS)-The contributions of the barind multipleopment authority (BMDA) to the Rajshahi Barind region became diverse, which led to significant advances in agricultural productivity, water resource management and general socio-economic development.
It has contributed significantly to the socio-economic development in 135 UPAZILAS among all 16 districts in Rajshahi and ranking gaps through various initiatives, which mainly focus on the development of agricultural development and water resource management.
The work of the BMDA has contributed to transforming the region into a more productive agricultural area and improving the livelihood of its population.
According to available statistics, the state company exposed the 122-kilometer channel and 56 ponds side by side last year 2024-25. 22 cross ladies and installed two river cups and 56 irrigation machines driven by Solar Power.
“We also installed 450 deep-room-wells, underground pipelines of 1,305 kilometers and six foot-over bridges, apart from producing 500 tons of seeds and conveying 550 farmers training,” said BMDA-Executive Director Tariqul Islam recently.
Since it was founded in 1987, it has built 2,649 kilometers channel and 4,313 ponds, 800 cross ladies and 15,348 underground pipelines, 4.790 depth waves rehabilitated, 8,500 tons of seeds and 1.58.302, up to 1.58.302.
At the moment, BMDA has provided 6.28,567 hectares of land through 15,560 DTWs and 991 low uplifting pumps, which means that around 70.60 LAKH metric tons are produced every year.
BMDA was instrumental in the development of the irrigation infrastructure, in particular by the installation of deep tube fountain (DTWS) and the reworking of ponds and channels. This has enabled increased agricultural production by providing water for irrigation in dry periods.
By providing irrigation, the soil scientist Dr. Nurul Islam, BMDA said that farmers were able to grow several plants a year to increase food production and income.
The Barind region, once a drought-susceptible area, has become known as “Rice Bowl of Bangladesh” due to the success of the BMDA efforts of the BMDA agricultural development.
BMDA has focused on efficient groundwater management, especially in the face of potential water shortages due to the overextraction.
Dr. Islam, main scientific official of the Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI), stated that the BMDA also promoted the irrigation on surface water base in order to reduce the pressure on the groundwater resources.
It has implemented projects to exkavate ponds and channels again, improve the water storage capacity and to facilitate irrigation.
By increasing agricultural production and through access to water, BMDA has contributed to improving the standard of living and livelihood for people in the region.
The SRDI scientist Dr. Islam said the increased agricultural productivity and income generation activities had contributed to reducing poverty in the region.
In addition to the creation of employment opportunities in the agricultural sector and in the related industries, BMDA has carried out measures to adapt to climate change, including the promotion of drought-resistant plants and efficient water management practices.
It was also examined for water management after ecosystem approaches in order to compensate for human needs with ecological sustainability.
Ataur Rahman, a farmer of the village of Pirojpur under Godagari Upazila, described the BMDA as a blessing in terms of increasing agricultural production. Overall, the barind region has transformed it in grocery stores in the country.
“We endeavor to spread the irrigation of the surface water in the region, especially in its huge barind area, while we carry out projects to promote irrigation through the re -authorization of pond and the augmentation of surface water,” said Shamsul Huda, additional chief engineer of BMDA.
The irrigation of surface water seemed to be a best tool in order to alleviate the gradually increasing pressure on underground water in the drought -prone barind area with numerous natural waters that currently remain in a negligent and dilapidated condition.
He said: “We have a plan to increase the surface water base from the existing 10 percent by 2030 to 30 percent in order to reduce the gradual assembly pressure on underground water.”
Regarding various research results, Prof. Chowdhury Sarwar from the Department of Geology and Mining at the Rajshahi University said that there are around 10,000 ponds, 200 channels and 10 other water holes in large size in the barind areas in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Naogaon.
“We have enormous areas to enrich the surface water resources through proper treatment of the waters,” said Prof. Chowdhury, who examined barind, both through surface and groundwater resources.
In the instance of Beelbhatia, a huge water body and wetlands of around 6,388 hectares, in Bholahat upazila in ChapainawaBganj mentioned that tens of thousands of hectares of arable land can be irrigated in the course of the year by using the conserved water of the 'Beel' if it was restored.
There are another four to five kilometers of water bodies in Rohanpur in Gomatapur Upazila of the same district. If it is excavated again, around 10,000 hectares of land can be brought by 25,000 farmers under surface water irrigation, added Prof. Chowdhury.