Ministry’s merger plan puts BMDA’s future and food security at risk

The Barendra Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), which supports food production worth an estimated Tk 218 billion annually, is facing an uncertain future following a controversial recommendation by the Ministry of Agriculture to merge it with another institution. Experts warn this move could threaten Bangladesh’s food security.

Once barren in 1985, northern Bangladesh now benefits from BMDA’s irrigation system, enabling farmers to harvest three crops annually instead of one. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, BMDA irrigated around 350,000 hectares for paddy varieties like Aman, Boro, and Aus, as well as mustard, wheat, potatoes, and seasonal crops.

Agriculture officials in Naogaon and Rajshahi credit BMDA with significantly boosting crop yields. Despite this, the authority struggles with a staffing freeze that hampers its operations.

BMDA’s Executive Director Md. Tarikul Alam revealed that the organization manages a vast irrigation network with just 743 employees.

Professor A.H.M. Saiful Islam of Bangladesh Agricultural University commended BMDA’s innovative card-based water distribution system. He urged the government to fully support BMDA, cautioning against the proposed merger with the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) without thorough evaluation.

With agriculture as the primary livelihood in northern Bangladesh, BMDA’s timely and affordable irrigation services help ease pressure on the capital and bolster national food security.