Northern Bangladesh Faces Severe Water Shortages, Studies Warn

By Motaher Hossain :

No natural resource on earth is unlimited or inexhaustible. One day, even nature’s richest reserves will run out. Yet, with careful planning and responsible use, humankind can make the most of what nature has provided. Natural resources — air, sunlight, soil, water, forests, minerals, and wildlife — are the foundation of life, sustaining human needs for food, shelter, energy, and survival.

But not all resources are renewable. Fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal, once consumed, cannot be replenished. Others — such as sunlight, air, and flowing water — can be renewed if used wisely. Water, however, is both the most essential and one of the most vulnerable of these resources. Today, Bangladesh, especially its northern districts, is facing an alarming crisis: a steady decline in freshwater reserves.

Global Research Reveals Worrying Trends: A recent international study has revealed disturbing findings about groundwater and surface water depletion in northern Bangladesh. Conducted under the leadership of Arizona State University and published in Science Advances, the study analyzed more than 20 years of satellite data.

The research, titled “Unprecedented Continental Drying, Shrinking Freshwater Availability and Increasing Land Contributions to Sea Level Rise,” found that since 2002, freshwater levels in 101 countries across the Northern Hemisphere have been declining due to climate change, excessive groundwater extraction, and severe droughts.

Mohammad Raihan, a Bangladeshi graduate researcher at ASU involved in the study, said: “Bangladesh is among the countries experiencing continuous freshwater loss. For the past 20 years, the country has been losing between 2.5 to 10 millimeters of freshwater annually. This is deeply concerning.”

Satellite imagery of the Ganges-Brahmaputra basin (covering much of Bangladesh) shows significant water loss between 2003 and 2024. The northwest and north-central regions appear marked in red, indicating annual declines in total water storage of 1–2 centimeters. Researchers stressed that this is not a short-term fluctuation but a robust long-term trend.

Government Response: Acknowledging the crisis, the Bangladeshi government recently declared 50 unions in 26 upazilas—mainly in Rajshahi, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj, and Chattogram—as “severely water-scarce areas.” Authorities are drafting new directives to curb water misuse in these regions.

Global Dimension of the Crisis: The ASU-led research also warned that nearly 6 billion people — about 75% of the global population — have faced freshwater stress in the past two decades. Alarmingly, 68% of global water shortages are caused by groundwater depletion. Scientists note that groundwater loss contributes more to sea level rise than even the melting of Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets.

Professor Jay Famiglietti of ASU’s Global Futures program remarked: “This research may be one of the most concerning warnings yet of how climate change is impacting global water resources. Continents are drying, freshwater availability is declining, and groundwater overuse is threatening food and water security for billions.”

Bangladesh’s Local Challenge: Bangladesh withdraws nearly 32 cubic kilometers of groundwater annually — 90% for irrigation, the rest for household and industrial use. This heavy reliance has led to alarming depletion and contamination: Arsenic and salinity affect nearly 24% of agricultural land. In Dhaka and the Barind region, water tables continue to fall even after monsoons.

A 2019 study found that groundwater levels are dropping at an average of 8.73 mm per year nationwide.
For instance, Dhaka WASA alone pumps 3.3 million cubic meters of water daily — enough to fill 20 Mirpur stadiums. As a result, many urban households can no longer rely on tube wells and must depend on expensive private water suppliers.

Farmers are equally burdened. Rajshahi farmer Shimul Ali explained that most farmers irrigate boro rice fields with groundwater because it is cheaper. But rising extraction costs and falling water tables are threatening agricultural sustainability.

In coastal areas, salinity intrusion has worsened water scarcity, leaving many communities dependent on rainwater harvesting or unsafe water sources.

Dr. Anowar Zahid, former groundwater hydrology expert at Bangladesh Water Development Board, warns that: “Excessive groundwater pumping has caused contamination with arsenic, salinity, and heavy metals. Nearly a quarter of the country’s land is now at extreme risk.”

Urbanization worsens the problem. Rapid, unplanned growth has destroyed natural drainage, preventing rainwater from replenishing aquifers. Experts say large-scale rainwater harvesting and surface water conservation have yet to be implemented effectively.

The United Nations projects that by 2030, global demand for water will rise by 30%, energy by 45%, and food by 50%. For Bangladesh, the situation is aggravated by climate change, Himalayan ice melt reduction, sea level rise, and upstream water withdrawals by India and Nepal. Without effective transboundary water-sharing agreements, seasonal shortages are likely to intensify.

Urgent Solutions Needed To avert a national crisis, experts call for: Large-scale rainwater harvesting, Greater use of surface water instead of groundwater, Restoration of ponds, canals, rivers, and wetlands, Afforestation and reforestation programs and Strict enforcement of sustainable water management policies. If immediate action is not taken, Bangladesh faces dire consequences: threats to agriculture, public health, and climate resilience.

The looming freshwater crisis is not just an environmental issue — it is a question of national survival.

(The writer is a Journalist and General Secretary — Bangladesh Climate Change Journalists Forum).