Sr Staff Reporter :
The ‘Expansion of Irrigation in Greater Rangpur District through Best Uses of Surface Water and Conservation of Rainwater Project (EIR)’ is significantly enhancing crop production in the Rangpur region.
Chairman of the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) and former Awami League lawmaker, Begum Akhter Jahan, highlighted these achievements during the EIR project orientation meeting at Begum Rokeya Auditorium in the city on Sunday evening.
BMDA’s Rangpur Circle organized the event to update stakeholders on the project’s progress. The meeting was chaired by EIR Project Director and Superintending Engineer of BMDA for Rangpur Circle, Engineer Md. Habibur Rahman Khan.
Attendees included union parishad chairmen, beneficiary farmers, local service providers, district, upazila, and field-level BMDA officials, employees from the project area, and local journalists.
Special guests at the event included Additional Chief Engineer of BMDA, Md. Jahangir Alam Khan, Superintending Engineer Md. Nur Islam, Senior Agricultural Engineer of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Md. Abdul Aziz Sarker, and Senior Journalist, Engineer Md. Mamun Islam.
Engineer Khan provided an overview of the EIR project’s progress across 35 upazilas in the greater Rangpur area. The project’s objectives are to promote agriculture, enhance crop production through the best use of conserved surface water, improve ecosystems, and revive habitats for indigenous fish, birds, and migratory species.
“The re-excavation of extinct rivers, canals, beels, and ponds, installation of low lift pumps, solar-powered dug wells, construction of footbridges, cross dams, and tree planting are all part of the project,” he said.
Re-excavation efforts are increasing water holding capacity, recharging the groundwater table, and making waterlogged lands suitable for agriculture. Stored water is being used for irrigation, poultry, fish farming, and household activities.
Local public representatives urged BMDA authorities to extend the EIR project and its working area beyond its current scope to sustain its successes and maximize the use of surface water for increased crop production.
Additional Chief Engineer Jahangir Alam Khan emphasized that the EIR project is being implemented efficiently to ensure the best use of conserved surface water, reduce pressure on underground water sources, and ensure food security amidst the adverse impacts of climate change.
The chief guest affirmed that BMDA would take further steps to expand the EIR project activities, aiming to ensure the best use of surface water and recharge underground water tables, ultimately increasing crop output to achieve sustainable food security.