Sylhet irrigation pump lies idle for 19 years !

The much-talked-about Rahimpur irrigation pump in Zakiganj upazila of the district could not be yet put into operation on various grounds, especially objection from Indian authorities.

Bangladesh Water Department Board (BWDB) installed the water pump 19 years ago to irrigate a vast tract of agricultural land.

The pump house is over one kilometre away from the border river Kushiyara.

On the other hand, a BWDB official has said many of machinery at the pump house have gone inoperative as those have been lying idle for a long time. Rahimpuri Khal is linked to the Kushiyara on Sylhet-Assam border. Due to the stalemate targeted 5,000 acres of farmland could not be brought under irrigation yet, officials and locals said. Local farmers are disappointed over the sorry state of the irrigation pump.

During a visit to the recent area, some BWDB staff members were seen passing leisure time and guarding the structure on the bank of its irrigation channel in Zakiganj upazila.

Sylhet BWDB executive engineer Dipok Ranajan Das said the pump house, if operated, would help yield huge crops in winter through irrigation.

The long desired structure, along with its irrigation channel was built at a cost of Tk 350 million (35 crore) in 2006 as a component of a Tk 1.32 billion (132-crore) project. The 'upper Surma-Kushiyara flood control and irrigation project' was taken up in 2001-2002. However, initially the project cost was Tk 1.11 billion (111 crore).

Contacted, BWDB acting additional chief engineer (north east region) Md Shafiqul Islam told this correspondent that with a target to bring vast tracts of farmland under irrigation as well as to save lands from floods, it was set to be completed by 2005-2006, but was delayed for reasons like delay in fund placement and others.

The BWDB could not put the pump into operation in the face of objections from the Indian authorities although it is located over one kilometre away from the border river Kushiyara.

Hundreds of farmers are deprived of getting water through the channel of the pump house, sources added.

Since after several meetings between BWDB officials and their Indian counterparts were held, things remained unresolved still now.

On the other hand, the BGB also raised the issue with BSF on several meetings, where the Indians assured of letting it functional soon, but ultimately it remained hanging yet.

In the latest move, both the countries agreed at the high-level meeting on 6 September 2022 in New Delhi with letting Bangladesh to withdraw 153 cusec water from Kushiyara at Zakiganj.

After that, the BWDB DG and other officials visited the site and took some local measures, but it's yet to start, officials admitted.

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