Tk1,204cr project planned to ensure safe water in Barind

The government has proposed a roughly Tk1,204 crore project to expand safe water supply and sanitation facilities in 123 upazilas across 16 districts in the Barind region, where declining groundwater levels, recurring droughts and inadequate sanitation pose growing challenges.
The Local Government Division proposed the project, titled “Safe Water Supply and Sanitation Project in the Barind Region”, for implementation by the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) from October 2026 to March 2030.
The entire cost is to be financed by the government, a planning official told Daily Sun.
The project is awaiting consideration by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), scheduled to meet at the Bangladesh Secretariat today, with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in chair.
According to the Planning Commission’s project summary, the initiative aims to improve public health and living standards across the greater Barind region through the expansion and development of safe water supply and sanitation infrastructure.
A senior Planning Commission official said the project proposes installing 59,778 improved twin-pit latrines for low-income households, 4,394 community-based water supply units, 22,176 shallow tubewells and 4,829 deep tubewells.
The proposed infrastructure also includes 5,399 shallow tubewells with submersible pumps and reservoirs, 1,113 deep tubewells with submersible pumps and reservoirs, 125 public toilets, 1,068 ring wells and 1,797 rainwater harvesting systems.
The plan further provides for the re-excavation of ponds and the construction of 16 pond sand filters to improve access to water. The investment comes as the Barind region faces mounting pressure on its water resources. According to the project document, the region ranks second among six water-availability hotspots identified in the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100.
Climate change, excessive groundwater extraction and inadequate groundwater recharge have aggravated the shortage of safe water, the document says.
Groundwater levels typically fall during the dry season, causing shortages of drinking water and irrigation supplies across large parts of northern Bangladesh. Water availability improves to some extent during the monsoon.
Sanitation remains another major concern. The project document estimates that only 63.6% of the region's population has access to basic sanitation facilities.
Inadequate sanitation increases the risks of waterborne diseases and environmental pollution, threatens public health and reduces productivity, potentially slowing socioeconomic development.
The Planning Commission selected the upazilas covered by the project because of recurring drought, irregular rainfall, falling groundwater levels and limited access to safe water sources. Climate change and population growth have further intensified these pressures.
The project proposes an allocation of Tk292.93 crore in fiscal year (FY) 2026-27, Tk350.37 crore in FY28, Tk367.58 crore in FY29 and Tk192.85 crore in FY30.
The Project Evaluation Committee recommended approval at a meeting on January 26, 2026, subject to compliance with its recommendations.
The Planning Commission said the initiative also aligns with the election manifesto commitment to develop modern and safe communities through safe water supply and waste management.
Under the government's development project formulation, processing, approval and revision guidelines issued in June 2022, projects costing more than Tk50 crore require ECNEC approval.
After completing the necessary procedures, the Planning Commission has recommended placing the project before ECNEC for consideration and approval.