Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has expressed a firm commitment to implement the “Teesta Barrage Master Plan” on a national priority basis at any cost to resolve the long-standing water crisis in the northern region of the country.
Today (Monday), while participating in the general discussion on the proposed budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year under the chairmanship of Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed in the National Parliament, he outlined various development plans of the government.
In Parliament, the Prime Minister said the government is working to implement long-term reforms and plans in the economy, agriculture, creative economy, education, and energy sectors. He specifically mentioned that Members of Parliament from the Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, along with people from the northern region, are deeply concerned about the Teesta and Padma rivers, and the government is committed to a permanent solution.
Mega plan for Teesta and Padma barrages
Announcing the assurance of water rights for the northern region, he said, “Our MPs, especially those elected from Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, have two major concerns: the Padma and Teesta rivers.” He further said that although initiatives were taken in the past to ensure agriculture and water rights, a much larger-scale implementation plan is now underway.
He stated that the government has taken an initiative to construct the “Padma Barrage” to store excess monsoon water and ensure irrigation during the dry season. At the same time, he announced: “On a national priority basis, In sha Allah, this government will implement the Teesta Barrage Master Plan at any cost.”
Plan to excavate 20,000 km of canals
He said that the government plans to excavate and re-excavate 20,000 kilometers of canals across the country over the next five years to improve agriculture and irrigation systems. He also noted that about 900 kilometers of canals have already been excavated in the last three months.
Loan waiver for farmers and new “Farmer Card”
The Prime Minister said that in the first week of taking office, agricultural loans of up to 10,000 taka for 1.3 million farmers were waived along with interest. A special “Farmer Card” is also being introduced for farmers, through which each will receive 2,500 taka in annual direct assistance along with 10 additional benefits. The goal is to distribute this card to around 4.3 million farmers within the 2026–27 fiscal year.
Creative economy and sports sector
He announced that the creative economy—including film, theatre, OTT, gaming, software, and digital content—will be brought into the mainstream economy. He also said that sports will be recognized as a profession, and a “national honor framework” will be introduced. Within the next year, “sports” will be included as an independent subject in the education curriculum.
He also mentioned plans to launch a new sports version of “New Kishore” to develop the talents of children and adolescents.
Expatriate card and labor market expansion
The Prime Minister announced the introduction of an “Expatriate Card” to facilitate services for expatriates, which will play an effective role in quickly resolving their problems. He also spoke about expanding the global labor market by increasing communication with new countries.
Reforms in energy and education sectors
Criticizing previous governments, he said that neglect of domestic energy exploration and reliance on foreign sources, along with corruption, has created a crisis in the sector. The current government is working on domestic gas exploration and expanding renewable energy.
He emphasized restructuring the education system, saying the government is working to develop skilled and morally grounded human resources, which will form the foundation of a prosperous Bangladesh in the future.
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