Water Resources Ministry, JICA in final talks on Tk 2,248cr haor project

The Ministry of Water Resources has entered the final stage of negotiations with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for a Tk 2,248 crore project designed to protect haor dams and minimise crop losses from flash floods.

The proposed initiative, titled "Haor Area Resilience and Development Project Phase-2," will be implemented by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) across five haor-based districts: Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Kishoreganj, and Netrokona.

A high-level meeting was held today at the ministry between Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan and a JICA South Asia Division delegation led by Senior Deputy Director Teruaki Fujii, according to a press release issued by the ministry.

Under the plan, the project will cover works at 11 selected haors, including the construction of 450 kilometres of submerged dams with slope protection, re-excavation of 77 kilometres of canals and rivers, and the installation of 58 irrigation inlets, 58 flood fuses, and 22 drainage regulators or box outlets.

The project aims to protect the region's boro paddy, which is highly vulnerable to flash floods in late March and April, just before harvest. Damage to the crop often causes severe economic distress for farmers and poses risks to the country's food security.

"We hope that with the financial assistance of our development partner JICA, the construction of submerged dams in the 11 haors initially will significantly reduce agricultural losses. The project will play a vital role in improving the living standards of the people in the haor area," said Adviser Rizwana Hasan.

The government and JICA will share the project's estimated cost of Tk 2,248.12 crore. Of this amount, Tk 584.12 crore (26 percent) will come from the national exchequer, while the rest will be project aid.

The proposal is expected to be placed before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in March 2026. The project duration is planned from July 2026 to June 2033.