Tackling water scarcity in Barind tracts

That ground water table is falling dangerously low is a major worry for the country. This has been going on over the last few decades and experts have been repeatedly sounding alarms. Over-extraction to meet the growing need of an increasing population is the obvious reason. Some of the extracted water is of course replenished but the amount is not of the same proportion. The continuous sinking of the groundwater table holds the risk of triggering a water crisis in areas excessively dependent on it, jeopardising food security and potentially causing land subsidence and other environmental calamities.

Nowhere are the stakes of the falling groundwater table higher than in the northern Barind region. As world leaders gather for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, alarming reports of severe drought and water scarcity are emerging from this area. The vast Barind areas, sprawled across Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, and Naogaon, are often referred to as the country's food granary. Estimates suggest the Barind region alone produces about 35 per cent of Bangladesh's irrigated Boro rice and around 60 per cent of its wheat. Groundwater irrigation is vital to sustaining this massive agricultural output.

The gravity of the situation can be understood from a recent research finding. A 2025 study published in the Global Food Security journal, titled "Revisiting the Drought-Food Insecurity Nexus: A Social-Ecological Systems Perspective," warns of catastrophic consequences. This research projects that if climate pressures continue to rise and water management falters, food security in the Barind region could drop by more than half, a crisis that would have profound national implications.

The Barind's topography and climate make it uniquely vulnerable. Its climatic condition is harsher than other areas of the country, marked by higher temperatures and lower rainfall compared to the national average. Moreover, the area's reddish clay soil is heavily compacted and not ideal for water retention. Consequently, the Barind has the most intensive use of groundwater in the country, with over 90 per cent of the total irrigated area relying on it.

The expansion of irrigation following the installation of deep-tube wells since 1990s, and the resulting over-extraction of water from aquifers have led to a steady decline in groundwater levels. Farmers in the region lament that only a decade ago, groundwater could be reached at a depth of around 30 feet; now, it requires digging as deep as 80 feet to find water, and even deep tubewells sometimes fail to pump out water.

The crisis is twofold: the impact of a changing climate and the overextraction of limited resources. Added to this is the reduced flow in rivers caused by upstream barrages and dams in India. In the northern region large stretches of some rivers (for example the Teesta) shrink into sand-beds during the dry season. Conversely, during the monsoon these same rivers may swell rapidly when the gates of upstream dams or reservoirs are sometimes opened after heavy rain, contributing to flooding downstream in Bangladesh.

Amid increasing frequency of water shortages in various parts of the country, the government in August declared 50 unions in 26 upazilas of four districts as severely water-stressed. Of these, 47 unions are located in the Barind districts, with the remaining three in Chattogram's Patiya upazila. The government is now reportedly preparing guidelines to limit the use of water in these water-stressed areas.

Water is being increasingly viewed worldwide as a scarce resource, while Bangladesh is reasonably well-endowed with this resource. So if the country has become overwhelmingly dependent on groundwater the problem is not scarcity of resource but uncontrolled pollution and poor water management.

As part of improved water management, rainwater has to be harvested. The wisdom of the ancient people can be a good guide here. At least rainwater must be made to supplement the water needs. The rivers crisscrossing the country should be maintained properly so that they can be used as a source of clean water. And to ensure sufficiency of surface water it is necessary that management not only of water but also of lands should be improved. Planned housing should replace unplanned housing.

Besides, to ensure more efficient water use in cultivation, experts suggest the adoption of sprinkler and drip irrigation systems. The sprinkler system sprays water over crops or soil, simulating natural rainfall, while the drip irrigation system delivers water directly to plant roots through perforated pipes, releasing one to four litres of water per hour from each dripper, without requiring the external pressure needed for sprinklers. Given the uneven terrain of the Barind region, efforts should be made to popularise both methods.

Another effective approach to utilising surface water is the lift irrigation system, in which water is pumped from lower-level rivers or reservoirs to higher elevations for agricultural use. This method is already in limited use in parts of northern Bangladesh. However, considering the region's vast agricultural land and large population, a mega lift irrigation project should be explored. Similar systems in several countries have successfully pumped water from major rivers to high elevations and distributed it across thousands of kilometres through canals, tunnels, and pipelines to and semi-arid regions. Bangladesh could consider developing large-scale lift irrigation system in the Padma and Jamuna basins.

Implementing such mega projects, however, will require significant investment. Regrettably, the Barind region doesn't receive the attention it deserves in climate change adaptation efforts, which largely focus on the country's coastal belt. Therefore, the depletion of groundwater and the resulting threat to the region's food security underscores the urgency of adopting a more integrated approach to climate change mitigation measures. What is needed is a holistic strategy to ensure climate-resilient water management and agriculture. Investment must be made in sustainable irrigation systems, rainwater harvesting, lift irrigation projects and support for farmers adopting drought-tolerant practices. If these initiatives are implemented effectively and sustained, they could play a crucial role in alleviating the region's water scarcity and ensuring food security.

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