BWDB constructing largest rubber dam in Chapainawabganj

The government of Bangladesh is constructing a rubber dam, which would be the largest one in the country and the tenth in South Asia, on the Mahananda River in Chapainawabganj district.

Upon its successful implementation, the dam will enhance irrigation to around 8,000 hectares of land on both sides of the river for yielding varieties of crops. The dam will facilitate the production of crops worth around Taka 558.3 million and the production of fish valued at around Taka 223.7 million annually, reports BSS.

Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has been implementing the scheme and there will be a revolutionary change in the region's agriculture sector on the successful implementation of the project.

Dockyard and Engineering Works Limited, a commercial entity being operated by Bangladesh Navy, is constructing the dam 500 yards downstream of Birshrestha Captain Mohiuddin Jahangir Bridge at Chapainawabganj town.

In addition to improving the living and livelihood conditions of people residing along the banks of the river, the project being implemented at a cost of around Taka 2.51 billion is intended to protect the environment from the adverse impact of climate change.

Ahmed Ali, a sexagenarian farmer of the nearby Baroghoria village, said vast barren lands on both sides of the river will be brought under farming upon completion of the project. Many other lands in the barind area will also get irrigation facilities.

Shamsul Alam, a local fish trader, said the river will become a water reservoir that will ultimately boost the capture fisheries in the river.

According to the sources concerned, the vast Barind tract is being turned into a waterless condition due to various natural and man-made catastrophes like construction of barrage, reduction of annual rainfall and climate change.

As a result, crop reduction is gradually being surfaced. In the adverse situation, demand for rubber dam construction has been mounted for the best uses of river water for irrigation purposes.

The under-construction 353-meter-long and 158-meter-wide rubber dam has been showing immense prospects of boosting the production of agriculture and fisheries.

BWDB Additional Chief Engineer Zahirul Islam said the project has provision for river dredging and excavation on 36-kilometer areas both upstream and downstream of the dam. Of those, 10-kilometre upstream and 26-kilometre downstream were dredged.

He said 87 per cent works of the project have already been completed and the rest are expected to be completed by next June.

The ever-largest rubber dam scheme in the country is being constructed in order to bring back the navigability of the river and more than 8,500 hectares of farming fields under irrigation.

At a huge public meeting in Chapainawabganj on April 23, 2011, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had given an assurance of rubber dam construction on Mohananda River responding to the local demands.

Later on, BWDB adopted a project titled "Rubber Dam Construction and River Dredging in Mohananda" for implementation of the Prime Minister's announcement.

BWDB Executive Engineer Mukhlesur Rajshahi here told BSS that the ever-largest rubber dam scheme is being implemented in Mahananda River. 36-kilometer areas, 10 kilometers upstream and 26 kilometers downstream of the 353-meter proposed dam are being brought under dredging.

Upon successful implementation of the scheme, more than 8,500 hectares of land will be brought under irrigation in surrounding areas.

In this connection, he said, the retained water could easily be used for supplementary irrigation of Aman, wheat, pulse, oil seeds and vegetables cultivation along with pisciculture and duck farming.

It will also create employment opportunities for the day labourers and marginal farmers and living and livelihood conditions of the farmers are likely to improve through crop production.

 As a whole, the scheme will facilitate boosting around the year surface water uses for irrigation purposes. Engineer Rahman said, adding it would also help to improve the environment there, a common concern of the area.