"Padmar dheu re — mor shunno hridoy — Podmo niye ja, ja re / Oh! The waves of the Padma—
I am empty-hearted—Take this lotus (to her feet)..." There was a time when such a Bhatiali melody would flow from the voice of boatmen of the Padma.
However, the once youthful and vigorous Padma is no longer what it used to be. Its wild waves are gone. Flowing through the mid-western region of the country, the river has lost its familiar current. During the dry season, the mighty Padma nearly turns into a stretch of sand.
Yet, what glorious days the Padma once witnessed — and so did the people living along its banks. “Since 1980, my grandfather rowed boats here, then my father, and now me. When I rowed with my father and grandfather, the Padma was full of water. Now it feels like it is dead,” said Milon Majhi (boatman) of Sreerampur in Rajshahi, standing on the banks of the river with a deep sigh. However, Milon is no longer a boatman; he works on others' land, and his family survives on that income.
The current state of the Padma River is due to India’s construction of the Farakka Barrage upstream. The Padma is known as the Ganges across the border. Disregarding international laws, the Indian government covertly and shrewdly built the barrage, gaining complete control over the Ganga’s water flow. As a result, during the dry season when the Padma requires increased water flow, it is held back on the other side. This causes sandbars to emerge in the river and damages the natural current. Again, during heavy monsoon rains, when water levels rise in India, the barrage gates are suddenly opened, triggering flash floods in the river’s downstream areas and leading to humanitarian disasters.
People from various walks of life in Bangladesh, including politicians, have long been vocal against the Farakka Barrage, which has undermined the country’s right to water. The first major movement against this barrage—seen as opposing Bangladesh’s interests and the fundamental rights of its people—was led by Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani. On 16 May 1976, he called for a Long March towards Farakka. The rally of the Long March was held at Kansat High School ground in Chapainawabganj, where Maulana Bhashani demanded the rightful share of the Padma River’s water in accordance with international law. The movement drew significant attention on the international stage. As part of the continued demand for a fair share of the Padma’s water, Farakka Day has been observed annually on May 16.
Farakka Barrage's blow to Padma River
The Farakka Barrage is located on the Ganges River, which flows between Malda and Murshidabad districts in the Indian state of West Bengal. The origin of the crisis dates back to the early 1950s. Upon learning of India's plan to construct the barrage on the Ganges, the then government of Pakistan strongly protested the move. In response, India stated in 1952 that the construction of the Ganges barrage was still in the exploratory stage. In 1960, India held its first meeting with Pakistan on the issue. While the discussions were still ongoing, India secretly began construction of the barrage in 1961–62. Thus, even before the emergence of an independent Bangladesh, India had completed the construction of the Farakka Barrage.
Citing the need to increase navigability of the Kolkata port, India announced the full operation of all feeder canals of the Farakka Barrage for 41 days on an experimental basis from 21 April to 31 May 1975. However, those 41 days never ended—it has now been 50 years.
The barrage turned into a curse for the Padma. During the dry season, India diverts water from the Ganges at Farakka to its other regions, causing massive sandbars to emerge in the Padma over the past five decades, drying up several rivers originating from the Padma in Bangladesh. This has severely affected the country’s biodiversity and inflicted significant economic losses on Bangladesh and its people.
On the other hand, during the monsoon, when all gates of Farakka are opened, large-scale flooding and erosion have become an annual occurrence across the Ganges-Padma basin. Every year, countless people suffer human and economic losses due to these disasters.
Rivers that died because of Farakka
Just like the melody of the song “Ei Padma, Ei Meghna, Ei Jamuna, Surma Nodir Tote,” the Padma River is integral to the identity of Bangladesh. The Padma is not only significant itself but once served as the source for many vibrant tributaries. However, after the construction of the Farakka Barrage upstream, the water flow in the Padma has drastically declined, leading to the death of many of its branches.
According to research from the Rajshahi office of the Water Development Board, there is virtually no water flow in the Padma this year. Nearly 90 percent of the area has turned into sandy char. The water level has dropped so low that people are now crossing the river on foot at the Talaimari launch ghat in the city.
Sheikh Rokon, Secretary General and Founder of Riverine People, a Dhaka-based civic organization focused on rivers and water, said that compared to the period before the Farakka Barrage was activated upstream, the water flow of the Padma—one of the main rivers of Bangladesh—has decreased by 80 percent.
He said that the barrage has directly affected several rivers, including the Garai, a major tributary of the Padma, as well as the Mathabhanga, which flows through Kushtia, Meherpur, and Chuadanga. Other impacted rivers in the southwestern region include the Kumar and Kapotaksha rivers in Faridpur and Gopalganj, along with the Bhairab, Nabaganga, Chandana in Rajbari's Pangsha, Hisna in Kushtia, and Kaliganga in Manikganj. The subsidiary branches of these rivers are also drying up, causing the waterways to lose their natural estuaries.
Due to the water crisis, one of the worst-affected tributaries of the Padma is the Baral River. The source of the Baral lies in Charghat of Rajshahi. Now, a vast char has emerged at its origin, with no water flow. The Baral River used to flow from the Padma through Rajshahi and Natore, eventually reaching the Jamuna.
Joynal Miah, a septuagenarian resident of the Padma riverbank, told Banglanews, “There was a time when boats or ships loaded with goods would come directly from Jangipur in India’s West Bengal to the Railbazar port in Godagari, Rajshahi. Likewise, boats and ships would depart from Railbazar port with cargo headed for India. But due to the river’s dire condition, the Railbazar port shut down long ago.”
Environmental scientist and professor at the Department of Geology and Mining of Rajshahi University, Dr. Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan, told Banglanews, “If the Padma’s current state persists, the entire river will eventually turn into a sandy char. Bangladesh will face a severe environmental disaster, signs of which are already emerging. Negative changes have occurred in weather, nature, and seasonal diversity. During the dry season, groundwater levels are dropping.”
He said, "In many areas of the Barind region in Rajshahi, water no longer rises from shallow tube wells. Therefore, efforts must be strengthened to ensure Bangladesh's fair share of Padma water as per the agreement to overcome the crisis."
Sarwar Jahan also called for the government's appropriate role in this regard. He expressed hope that the tensions with India over the renewal of the water-sharing treaty would soon end. According to Sarwar Jahan, "It is not enough to be satisfied with a paper figure of 35,000 cusecs of water. If the treaty is renewed, we must demand water—so that there is a normal flow in the river throughout the year."
India never abided by water treaties
The Farakka Barrage began operating during the presidency of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Although India has signed several water-sharing treaties with Bangladesh under both domestic and international pressure, it has never provided water to Bangladesh in accordance with those agreements.
As India did not respond to any calls from Bangladesh, then-President Ziaur Rahman raised the Farakka issue at the United Nations General Assembly in 1976. As a result, India was compelled to come to the negotiation table. This led to the signing of the Farakka Agreement in Dhaka on 5 November 1977. The five-year treaty included a “guarantee clause” to ensure Bangladesh’s minimum water share.
Although President Ziaur Rahman’s move to raise the issue at international forums achieved progress in water sharing, this achievement was later weakened during the military regime of Hussain Muhammad Ershad through compromise. After Ershad's fall in 1990, Khaleda Zia became Prime Minister of Bangladesh in 1991. In May 1992, during a meeting in New Delhi between Khaleda Zia and Indian Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, both sides agreed to establish an equitable and long-term mechanism for the distribution of water from the Ganges, Teesta, and other major rivers. The Indian Prime Minister announced that every effort would be made to resolve Bangladesh’s water crisis by ensuring an equitable share of Ganges water at Farakka.
However, India later showed no further interest in the agreement. As a result, on 1 October 1993, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia raised the issue of Farakka in her address to the 48th session of the United Nations General Assembly. In May 1995, she again brought up the issue at the SAARC summit in New Delhi. The Indian Prime Minister assured a resolution to the problem, but no results followed.
On 23 October 1995, during her speech at the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia again raised the Farakka issue, stating that the people of Bangladesh were dependent on the water of the Ganges, but due to India’s unilateral withdrawal of the river’s flow, the country was facing immense hardship. She called on world leaders gathered at the UN to help resolve this crisis.
After the Awami League came to power in 1996, then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signed a weak 30-year long-term treaty on Ganges water sharing. However, within just three months, India rendered the treaty ineffective. On 27 March 1997, Bangladesh received only 6,457 cusecs of water—the lowest recorded flow since the Farakka Barrage became operational. According to the agreement, Bangladesh was supposed to receive 34,500 cusecs of water. Under the terms of the deal, India was obligated to release half of 70,000 cusecs (i.e., 25,000 cusecs) to Bangladesh at Farakka, with the remaining 20,000 cusecs to be used for maintaining the navigability of seven rivers.
The 1977 water treaty included a "guarantee clause", but the agreement signed by Sheikh Hasina did not, meaning India was not obliged to provide Bangladesh with its rightful share. Furthermore, the treaty left no provision for international arbitration. Yet, in the case of the Mahakali River water treaty with Nepal, India accepted the provision of international arbitration.
Farakka Barrage’s role in global warming
Bangladesh shares 53 rivers with its neighbouring country, where a total of 68 dams have been constructed at various points for different reasons. Among them, the largest and most damaging is the Farakka Barrage.
Environmental expert Professor Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder said, “Because of this barrage, a significant number of rivers in Bangladesh are drying up, and the rising temperature is a consequence of this drying process. Previously, when rivers had flowing water, it absorbed the heat, but now, due to barren sandy riverbeds, the heat directly strikes the sand. This raises the temperature and contributes to a negative impact on the global climate.”
Citing the example of sand extraction from dried rivers, Faridul Islam Farid, Joint Secretary of the Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), told Banglanews, “As rivers die, a business of sand extraction has grown, causing further environmental damage. Dredging for sand extraction is increasing air pollution, which also poses a threat to public health.”
Farakka Barrage behind coastal salinity crisis
The impact of the Farakka Barrage is not limited to the regions adjacent to the Padma River—it is also putting distant coastal areas at serious risk.
Sheikh Rokon, Secretary General of Riverine People, said, “During high tide, when saline seawater enters inland, the flow of river water pushes it back toward the sea. But due to the reduced flow caused by Farakka, salinity is spreading. This saline water is now creating a deadly situation in coastal areas, becoming the source of countless tears for coastal communities. In Bangladesh, the worst sufferers now are the people living along the coast.”
He said, “With rising salinity, freshwater-dependent trees in the Sundarbans are declining, and trees are showing signs of premature disease. This is due to the saline water, which is also reducing the number of Sundari trees. In the dry season, the reduced flow is causing silt to accumulate inside the Sundarbans. Moreover, tidal water is facing resistance in entering the forest. As a result, in the near future, the world’s only mangrove forest and Bangladesh’s natural safeguard against cyclones and tidal surges will be at risk of destruction, which could lead to the ruin of Bangladesh.”
Adverse impact on agricultural production
The Padma River serves as a key water source for agriculture in the Barind region. When the river’s upstream flow is blocked at Farakka, people in the Barind area face severe losses.
Faridul Islam Farid, Central Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), said, “As a result, soil moisture is declining, which is affecting arable land. For the same reason, riverbank erosion is increasing in the Padma basin. Due to this erosion, farmers are losing their cultivable land, impacting the country's overall production. In addition, the reduced flow of floodwater due to the barrage is decreasing soil fertility.”
M Zakir Hossain, Chief Executive of the research organization Change Initiative, told Banglanews, “As time goes on, groundwater levels are depleting further. Now, water is not available even 400 feet underground. The rising cost of groundwater extraction has increased irrigation expenses, placing a burden on farmers. That’s why many who used to cultivate paddy are now turning to crops like wheat and barley, which require less water than paddy.”
Bengalis deprived of taste of Padma hilsa
Due to the water crisis caused by the Farakka Barrage, the breeding of hilsa in the Padma River is being severely hampered. Faridul Islam Farid said, “There was a time when the aroma of hilsa being cooked in one house would reach all the neighbouring homes. Now, that smell and taste are gone.”
“The natural migration route of hilsa to Bangladesh has been disrupted. As a result, hilsa is now rarely found in the Padma. Instead, more are being caught in the Jamuna, and even in the Teesta. That’s why the taste of hilsa is no longer what it used to be,” he added.
Biodiversity under threat
The far-reaching impacts of the Farakka Barrage are also affecting the region’s biodiversity—particularly the wildlife of the Sundarbans.
Professor M A Aziz of the Department of Zoology at Jahangirnagar University told Banglanews, “The freshwater we were supposed to receive in the Sundarbans from the Ganges is decreasing, which is leading to rising salinity in the region. The rivers connected to the Padma have dried up, and the negative effects are more visible in the western Sundarbans compared to the eastern side. Because of this, biodiversity in the Sundarbans is now under serious threat. Many species are already endangered. For instance, we are seeing a decrease in the number of deer in areas like Kushtia and Satkhira. It is believed to be linked to saline water. And changes in the deer population are also associated with fluctuations in the tiger population. Moreover, fish reproduction in these rivers is being affected. The river dolphin is now almost extinct in the area.”
Steps to seek international court justice
To pursue justice over the Farakka Barrage issue at an international court, M Zakir Hossain, Chief Executive of Change Initiative, recommended that Bangladesh ratify the convention on the law of non-navigational uses of international watercourses.
He said, “None of the 80 gates of the Farakka Barrage is functioning. A river is a living entity, and it needs water to survive. But this living entity is being killed—it's a crime against nature. To seek justice from an international court, we must first ratify the international convention on transboundary watercourses. Why hasn’t this government been able to do it in ten months?”
He also stressed the need to form a Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) Basin Commission involving India, China, and Nepal. Highlighting a major flaw in the Ganges water treaty, he said, “There’s no guarantee clause stating how much water Bangladesh would receive in the dry season. There is no data-sharing mechanism in the treaty, so monitoring hasn’t been possible. More importantly, there is no clause specifying how disputes between the two countries would be resolved.”
Zakir Hossain added, “The natural law of rivers does not align with state legislation. The way rivers are being killed with dams is an injustice to nature—a crime. It violates the rights of nature and is being politically exploited instead of being approached from a standpoint of fairness.”
How much will Bangladesh pay?
It is reported that after the water-sharing treaty with India on 12 December 1996, the water flow in the Rajshahi stretch of the Padma River saw some improvement. However, under the agreement, from 1 January to 10 May each year, if the flow drops to 70,000 cusecs or below, both countries are to receive equal shares. If the flow drops below 50,000 cusecs, the two sides are to determine the allocation through discussions.
But India has been unilaterally controlling the water in this regard. As a result, Bangladesh has been receiving increasingly less water each year. Due to India’s persistent lack of interest, meetings of the Joint Rivers Commission no longer occur regularly. Even when held, they yield no results. Consequently, Bangladesh is the one paying the price.
MSK/SMS
