New crisis over groundwater, farmers worried
The groundwater level is going down in most of the Upazilas in the northern part of Bangladesh. People are worried. Agriculture is under threat. Native fish species are disappearing as water in water bodies dries up.
The environment is being endangered. Even before the heatwave begins, most of the pumps and tube wells in these areas are not producing water. As a result, people are facing extreme hardships in getting water for drinking and household purposes.
Farmers are worried as the water level drops during the Rice Boro season. As the rivers in the northern region are not being dredged regularly, there is no water immediately after the monsoon.
In districts like Sirajganj, Natore, Pabna, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon, Joypurhat, Gaibandha, and Dinajpur of the country, cropland is becoming barren due to water shortage. Rivers, canals and ponds are drying up rapidly.
The Padma River has lost its familiar form due to the impact of the Farakka Barrage built in India. Due to the decrease in water flow, its volume has decreased by half. The depth has diminished. Now there is a sandy beach all over the Padma River. The amount of rainfall in the basin has decreased. On the other hand, the temperature in this region has increased.
On May 16, 1977, a historic long march was led by Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani towards Farakka Barrage to protest India’s unilateral withdrawal of water. When water is needed, the water flow is stopped. And when water is not needed, the water is released.
That is why in Rajshahi and the neighboring districts of Chapainawabganj and Varendra area of Naogaon, canals and ponds have become dry due to lack of water before the winter is over. There is an acute shortage of drinking water. In addition, other irrigation projects in the west, including the country’s largest Ganges-Kobadak Irrigation Project, are also under threat.
Jamat Khan, general secretary of Rajshahi Raksha Sangram Parishad, stated, “We received water according to the Farakka Barrage Agreement, but it has flowed into the sea due to inadequate reservoirs.”
For 25–26 years, the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority has been pumping water everywhere. There is no attention to the fact that the water level is going down. At least 160–180 feet of water have gone down,” he added.
He also said, “There is no precedent anywhere in the world for people to commit suicide for water. Here we have precedents of farmers committing suicide for water. Agriculture has been affected.
Arsenic has emerged. Indigenous fish are virtually non-existent. There are no animals or birds. There has been an adverse effect on everything. If we do not take the right steps now, a more difficult crisis will arise.”
Chalan Beel holds the distinction of being the largest Beel in the country. This Beel, covering nine upazilas in Pabna, Natore, and Sirajganj districts, is now dry after the monsoon ends. However, once the water flow here was always flowing, and now it is mostly dry. The biodiversity of this largest Beel in the country is under extreme threat due to climate change.
Various species of birds, fish, and aquatic animals are disappearing. Even three decades ago, at this time of the year, there was only water in the Chalan Beel . It was a reservoir of biodiversity, including fish. This immense amount of fresh water during the monsoons would turn into a carpet of greenery in the dry season. Various crops, including boro rice, would grow on the silt-laden soil.
But that picture has changed due to the impact of climate change. Due to insufficient rain, the huge beel is largely dry. Experts blame climate change for this situation of the beel.
They also blame environmental pollution and the lack of enough trees. Apart from this, there are also man-made problems. Large ponds are being dug in the middle of the beel to stop the flow of water.
Abdur Razzak Raju, convener of the Chalan beel Protection Movement Committee, stated that India’s management of the Farakka dam is contributing to the water crisis in Chalan beel. The dam in Charghat, Rajshahi, is blocking Padma River water from entering Chalanbeel. The water level is dropping due to groundwater extraction during the Iri Boro season.
He said, “Fishermen were the largest labourers in Chalan beel. But now the profession of fishermen has changed due to water shortage. In addition, biodiversity is under threat due to climate change and human-made crises.”
In this case, human-made problems can be solved through government initiatives. The government’s attention is on the Haor – Baor and Barind Tract, but not on Chalan beel. The government’s attention needs to be increased.”
The water level has started dropping at an alarming rate in different areas of Gobindaganj Upazila of Gaibandha. Due to this, farmers are facing problems with irrigation of Iri Boro cultivation. Many are forced to dig 10 to 15 feet holes or wells and install irrigation machines in them.
Iri Boro rice is dependent on irrigation. However, farmers in these areas are facing problems due to lack of groundwater in the current season. They say that if the water level continues to decrease like this, the crisis will become more pronounced in the coming years.
