Policy and institutional study on the strategic role of water storage in Bangladesh

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cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Water Management Institute
cg.contributor.affiliationBangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
cg.contributor.donorUnited States Department of State
cg.contributor.donorCGIAR Trust Fund
cg.contributor.initiativeNEXUS Gains
cg.contributor.programAcceleratorPolicy Innovations
cg.coverage.countryBangladesh
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2BD
cg.coverage.regionSouthern Asia
cg.creator.identifierSanjiv de Silva: 0000-0001-8852-800X
cg.creator.identifierRadheeka J.: 0000-0002-3625-5721
cg.creator.identifierMatthew McCartney: 0000-0001-6342-2815
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.5337/2025.206
cg.identifier.iwmilibraryH053944
cg.identifier.projectIWMI - D-0470
cg.identifier.projectIWMI - C-0057
cg.placeColombo, Sri Lanka
dc.contributor.authorde Silva, Sanjiv
dc.contributor.authorJirasinha, Radheeka
dc.contributor.authorMondal, M. S.
dc.contributor.authorMcCartney, Matthew
dc.date.accessioned2025-06-25T11:09:38Z
dc.date.available2025-06-25T11:09:38Z
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/175307
dc.titlePolicy and institutional study on the strategic role of water storage in Bangladeshen
dcterms.abstractThis policy and institutional study was conducted as part of the Built Water Storage in South Asia (BWSSA) project (2023–2026), implemented by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Global Water Partnership (GWP). The BWSSA initiative aimed to transform how water storage—both built (gray) and natural (green) infrastructure—was perceived, planned, and managed across five countries: Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. The project sought to strengthen national capacity for integrated storage planning, promote data-informed decision-making, support regional dialogue, and address inequities in access and benefit-sharing related to water storage. The policy and institutional study, conducted in each country, focused on six core questions: the types and roles of water storage across geographies and sectors; current and planned investments; the institutional and decision-making landscape; the alignment of sectoral storage plans with integrated water resources management (IWRM); opportunities for inclusive planning; and key knowledge gaps. It involved a three-phase process: (1) a review of national policy and strategy documents; (2) key informant interviews with stakeholders from government, civil society, academia, and the private sector; and (3) validation of findings through consultations. This iterative, participatory process helped surface implementation challenges, build credibility, and foster alignment among actors. In Bangladesh, agriculture—particularly irrigation—has driven economic growth and poverty reduction, accounting for nearly 90% of freshwater withdrawals. Yet, this sectoral dependence, combined with Bangladesh’s flat, flood- and salinity-prone deltaic landscape and extreme seasonal variability, exacerbates freshwater scarcity during the dry season. Bangladesh’s downstream position on 57 transboundary rivers, most of which originate in India, limits its control over water availability and heightens its reliance on transboundary cooperation. Storage infrastructure in Bangladesh remains highly localized and fragmented. The absence of large-scale surface reservoirs—due to topographic limitations and concerns over the social and environmental impacts of large infrastructure—has led to widespread groundwater reliance. Groundwater over-extraction is now stressing aquifers, compounded by salinity intrusion and arsenic contamination. The study identified managed aquifer recharge (MAR) as a promising strategy to harvest wet-season floodwaters and replenish depleted aquifers. However, technical capacity gaps, risks of aquifer pollution, and the absence of standardized guidelines currently hinder scaling of MAR beyond pilot initiatives. Critically, water storage in Bangladesh remains a secondary strategy—conditioned by efforts to increase dry-season river flows through improved transboundary water governance. With 54 transboundary rivers flowing in from India, bilateral negotiations are vital. However, progress has been slow due to persistent power asymmetries and India’s preference for case-by-case negotiation. A major window of opportunity lies in the scheduled renegotiation of the 1996 Ganges Water Sharing Treaty in 2026. The outcome of these talks could significantly influence Bangladesh’s long-term storage strategy, particularly in securing reliable dry-season flows. Ultimately, the study underscores the need for integrated, multi-level planning, regional cooperation, and targeted investment in both green and gray storage solutions to enhance Bangladesh’s water security and climate resilience.en
dcterms.accessRightsOpen Access
dcterms.bibliographicCitationde Silva, Sanjiv; Jirasinha, Radheeka; Mondal, M. S.; McCartney, Matthew. 2024. Policy and institutional study on the strategic role of water storage in Bangladesh. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 40p. [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2025.206]
dcterms.extent40p.
dcterms.issued2024-12-31
dcterms.languageen
dcterms.licenseCC-BY-4.0
dcterms.publisherInternational Water Management Institute
dcterms.subjectwater storage
dcterms.subjectwater policies
dcterms.subjectinstitutions
dcterms.subjectstrategies
dcterms.subjectwater resources
dcterms.subjectplanning
dcterms.subjectwater management
dcterms.subjectwater governance
dcterms.typeReport

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