Padma Barrage to benefit 163 upazilas in 26 districts if fully implemented: State minister

State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad has said the Padma Barrage project will directly benefit 163 upazilas in 26 districts and around 37% of the country's population if it is fully implemented.

Speaking during the general discussion on the proposed budget for FY2026-27 in parliament today (28 June), the state minister said the Padma Barrage, one of the government's priority projects, has already received approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec).

He said that in the first phase, the project will benefit 120 upazilas in 19 districts. Once fully implemented, its benefits will extend to 163 upazilas across 26 districts.

Farhad said the government's three main priorities in the water resources sector are the Farakka Barrage, Padma Barrage and Teesta Barrage projects.

He said the government's technical committee is working to ensure a fair share of water from the Farakka Barrage. At the same time, efforts to implement the Teesta Barrage project are also progressing.

According to the state minister, implementation of the Teesta Barrage project would bring positive changes to agriculture, irrigation and water management in at least five northern districts.

He said the proposed FY2026-27 budget has been formulated with the aim of ensuring public welfare and sustainable development.

He thanked Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the finance minister and those involved for preparing a Tk9.38 lakh crore budget within four months.

Farhad said social safety net programmes, including family cards, farmer cards, e-health cards, allowances for imams and priests, and canal excavation programmes, would help improve people's living standards.

Referring to the education sector, he said the distribution of educational materials among primary school students and the continuation of tuition-free education for female students up to class 12 would contribute to expanding access to education.

He added that the proposed allocation for the education sector would help develop skilled human resources and increase employment opportunities.

During the discussion, the state minister also called for the development of Panchagarh as a tourist city.

He urged the government to expedite the construction of the Panchagarh bypass road and the establishment of an agro zone in Debiganj to support balanced regional development.