Posted on June 22, 2026
Concerns are mounting in Mymensingh over the effectiveness of the ongoing dredging project on the Brahmaputra River, as large stretches of the river remain shallow and sandbars continue to emerge despite six years of excavation work.
A recent visit to the area revealed that water levels in many parts of the river were below knee depth. Numerous sandbars had surfaced, while boats struggled to navigate through the shallow channels.
The dredging project, implemented by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), began in 2020 with the objective of ensuring year-round navigability of the river. Under the plan, a 90-metre-wide and 10-foot-deep channel is being excavated along a 227-kilometre stretch from Tok area in Gazipur’s Kapasia upazila to Fulchhari in Gaibandha, passing through Kishoreganj, Mymensingh, Jamalpur and Sherpur.
Originally scheduled for completion in 2024, the Tk2,763-crore project was later extended to June 2025 and subsequently to June 2027 after failing to achieve its intended goals.
Despite the prolonged dredging efforts, many residents, environmentalists and cultural activists remain unconvinced about the project’s effectiveness.
At different times, various civic groups have organised seminars, discussions and street demonstrations over the years, alleging irregularities and poor planning in the implementation process.
Locals claimed that excavated sand has often been stockpiled along riverbanks for extended periods before auction, allowing rainwater to wash it back into the river and contribute to renewed siltation.
Abul Kalam Al Azad, coordinator of the civic platform Brahmaputra Protection Movement, said the project lacked proper planning from the outset.
“Such a large-scale project should have been preceded by scientific studies and a thorough assessment of the riverbed and surrounding environment. None of that was done,” he said.
“It was evident from the beginning that this dredging would not produce the desired results. In fact, it is further damaging the Brahmaputra.”
Residents recalled that shortly after dredging began, several large sandbars emerged near the Zainul Abedin Museum and Kachari Ghat areas of Mymensingh city. In 2021, local theatre and cultural groups staged protest performances on the newly formed chars, drawing public attention and raising questions about the project’s effectiveness.
Responding to the criticism at the time, then project director Rakibul Islam Talukder said the sandbars had formed naturally due to silt deposition and would disappear once dredging continued for several more years. However, recent visits to the river suggest that char formation remains widespread. Locals said new sandbars continued to appear until as recently as April this year.
BIWTA officials acknowledge that the project has faced multiple challenges.
An engineer involved with the project said one of the major obstacles is the reduced flow of water from the river’s source area near its confluence with the Jamuna river in Fulchhari upazila of Gaibandha. Due to natural causes, the channel remains dry for nearly eight months each year, limiting water flow into the Brahmaputra.
He said BIWTA had been unable to dredge the critical section for nearly five years because of resistance from local landowners concerned about losing agricultural land. Excavation finally began there in June 2025 under Army supervision.
Another major challenge is managing the dredged sediment. While the original plan was to store excavated soil on riverbanks before auctioning it, a lack of suitable storage areas has complicated the process.
“In many cases, stored soil is washed back into the river during the rainy season, gradually refilling dredged sections,” the engineer said. He also noted that the riverbed water level has dropped by at least one and a half feet since the dredging operation began.
Mohammad Mohsin, BIWTA executive engineer responsible for the project in Mymensingh, admitted that achieving the expected outcomes has been difficult.
“We have faced numerous challenges since the beginning of the project, which has delayed the expected benefits,” he said.
However, he maintained that the project has brought some positive results, particularly for farmers in rural areas. He also pointed to the continued operation of boats on parts of the river.
“The Brahmaputra is one of the most heavily silted rivers in Bangladesh. When one section is dredged, sediment quickly accumulates elsewhere,” Mohsin said.
He added that the number of dredgers currently available is insufficient to tackle the scale of the problem. Nevertheless, he expressed optimism about the ongoing dredging at Fulchhari under Army supervision. “If water flow through the source channel can be restored, the river will certainly benefit,” he said.
