The Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) has been implementing different need-based projects to improve the socio-economic conditions by increasing crop production side by side protecting the environment in the country’s northwest region including its vast Barind tract.
The BMDA, headquartered in Rajshahi, has already executed 29 big projects under its command areas in almost 16 districts of Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions particularly 25 upazilas of Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj from 1985-86 to 2013-14.
Now nine other projects are being implemented. More than half of the total works have been completed while the rest is expected to be finished in phases by next couple of years.
Executive Director of the BMDA Ahsan Zakir said today implementation of some good projects during the last two decades came out with desired crop production along with safe-drinking water, forestry and concrete roads in the dried Barind region.
After evaluating the success and the progress of the BMDA in irrigation management, it was given the responsibilities of rehabilitating all non-functional deep tube wells under the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation throughout the region.
The ongoing projects of the BMDA include activating inoperative deep tube-well for irrigation, deep tube well installation, command area development and training, command area extension and development, marketing agricultural product through development of rural communication, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur and Joypurhat Integrated Agricultural Development and Barind rainwater conservation and irrigation.
Ahsan Zakir said execution of the projects had yielded a significant success in crop production including quality seed, creation of ecological balance, road communications and development of socio-economic condition leading to raising the standard of life and living of the targeted people.
Around 20.56 lakh tonnes of crops particularly rice including additional of 13.68 lakh tonnes valued at Taka 1,108 crore are being produced in the region annually, he said.
Ahsan said before the inception of the BMDA, the number of deep tube wells was only 500 with total irrigated area of about 5,000 hectares. At that time, the farmers had to depend on the mercy of rainwater for crop production.
Now, they said, the number of deep tube wells is 14,620 including 14,108 with power connections in the command areas with the total irrigated area of 5,93,085 hectares in the region.
Under the pond and canal-digging programme, 2,944 ponds and 1,319 klometers of derelict canals were re-excavated making them fit for fish culture and irrigation.
A total of 649 cross-dams have also been constructed to preserve surface water in upstream of canals.
In addition to providing training to around 1.36 lakh farmers on various need-based issues, more than 2.47 crore saplings of various trees were planted in the command area to protect environmental balance and meet the growing demands for fruits and timber in the region.
Out of the existing 1,200-kilometer non-metalled roads in the three districts, 769.71 kilometers have so far been made concrete and the rest to be completed in phases.
He said a total of Taka 204.09-crore project has been undertaken for rainwater conservation and irrigation with the main thrust of reducing pressure on groundwater table.
“Successful implementation of these projects is creating jobs for the unemployed people and also supplementing the government’s efforts to ensure food security and an environment-friendly weather in the region,” the BMDA executive director said.
