Following the necessity of building a dam and rebuilding which was damaged during the August 2024; flood in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh government has begun constructing a dam on the Muhuri River’s banks in Kalikapur, Parshuram, Feni. The dam is expected to be completed before June. Regarding the construction of this Ballamukha dam near the border of Parshuram, there sparked a concern from the side of India. Even the Border Security Force of India (BSF) protested and conveyed to stop the construction. But under the supervision of the Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB), the work has continued, and about 40 percent of the reconstruction process has proceeded as well. Despite Bangladesh having started to rebuild dams within their territory following international border laws, maintaining a certain distance from the zero line, BSF and locals of Bilonia of India impede the construction process. While the BSF did not obstruct the work on the 190-meter section of the Ballamukha embankment, it did obstruct the reconstruction of the other 70-meter section. The Indian BSF alleged that 30 meters of the 70-meter section of the embankment were within 150 yards of the border between the two countries, which is why it obstructed the reconstruction of the embankment. However, the Bangladesh Water Development Board denoted that it was merely an objection to halt the construction process, nothing else.
Incidentally, there is a dead river in Kalikapur in Mirzanagar Union of Parshuram Upazila, west-south of Char adjacent to Muhuri River on the Indian border. It is known as the Ballamukha Canal. The Ballamukha Canal starts from Kalikapur itself and joins the Silonia River. In that region, Every year, water from upstream India breaches the dams along the Muhuri, Kuhua, and Silonia rivers and floods a large section of the Fulgazi and Parshuram Upazilas, leaving many destitute. In this regard to respite from the devastation of a flood, Bangladesh has started to rebuild the damaged dam of Ballamukha.
According to the Water Development Board, the length of Feni’s Muhuri, Kahua, and Silonia flood control dams is 122 kilometers. Last August, the 122-kilometer flood control dam on both banks of the Muhuri, Kahua, and Silonia rivers in Feni collapsed at 102 places due to the rush of water coming down from upstream India, causing the worst floods in recorded history. Of which, repair work has been completed on 96 broken parts. It cost 95.3 million taka. In addition, repair work is underway at two places in Ballamukhar. And the government will spend 206.8 million taka to repair those broken parts of the dam, the Water Development Board has said. At present, restoration efforts are focused on the 1,390 meters of the embankment that was damaged.
Actually, regarding this dam reconstruction, India put objections locally and centrally which is unethical, unlawful and unacceptable. Because Bangladesh has shared 54 transboundary rivers with India, in most cases, Bangladesh suffers despite being a lower riparian country that has the international right to have water from upper riparian countries. Along with this issue, a long-awaited Teesta water sharing disputes, the Ganges water sharing disputes, Feni rivers water sharing disputes, Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gomati, Dharla, Sabrum and Dudhkumar’s water sharing disputes are long-standing disputes exist between Bangladesh and India.
The Water Development Board of Bangladesh has started the process of rebuilding the Ballamukha Dam located at the Parshuram border of Feni, which suffered damage during the heavy floods in August 2024. About 11 districts in the eastern regions of Bangladesh have faced the devastation of it. Particularly, Feni, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, and Cumilla experienced the most severe impacts. Due to these floods, 5.8 million people have been displaced, 71 people have died and caused damage worth an estimated US$1.2 billion.
From Bangladesh’s point of view, they demand that it is legitimate for themselves to build or construct any dam or canal for their own sake. There shouldn’t be any concern or any right to interference from other counterparts. Executive Engineer of the Water Development Board Md. Akhtar Hossain Majumder said that the Ballamukha Dam is in no-man’s land. Fearing that the Water Development Board may face obstacles in this regard, a letter has already been sent to the BGB-4 Battalion, Comilla Sector and the Joint River Commission for talks between the two countries. He said that the dam construction work would be completed within the stipulated time. Under the Indo-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission (JRC), Bangladesh should get the proper focus on water distribution, flood management, and comprehensive river governance. Even under the International River law, as a lower riparian country, Bangladesh has all sorts of rights to get facilities from upper riparian countries.
A flag meeting has already been held between the BGB and BSF at Ishan Chandra Nagar in India and Bangladesh’s own Kalikapur camp regarding the dam. In this regard, BGB Feni Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Md. Mosharraf Hossain said that work is underway to reconstruct the dam outside the 150-yard area, and the ministry is working on their objections at the 30-meter area. On a legal basis, we would like to continue our constructions, he added.
Despite tensions in the border area and diplomatic turmoil between Bangladesh and India, a new issue has arisen from India. They uphold an objection against Bangladesh for rebuilding a dam that is being rebuilt by following all the laws and procedures. Their objection is invalid, irrational and inappropriate. Because, as the backdrop to rebuilding this Ballamukha dam, It had been noticed that, When the water flow increased due to heavy rains in August 2024; the Indians cut the dam at the mouth of the Ballamukha Canal with the help of BSF personnel. Due to this, the water of the Silonia River in Bangladesh increased and flooded many villages in Parashuram and Fulgazi upazilas. At one point, they tried hard to cut the dam on the Bangladesh side. However, that effort failed in the face of BGB and residents’ obstacles.
Undoubtedly, Bangladesh needs to repair their important dam which will save them from a larger scale of flood during monsoon. Finally, It is certainly a legitimate right for the Bangladeshi side to run a project and rebuild the Ballamukha dam to rescue thousands of lives, save resources and secure their people.
About the Author
Md. Al-Amin is an educator. He completed his post-graduation from the Department of International Relations at Rajshahi University,Bangladesh. His research interests are Diplomacy, Foreign policy, Border conflicts, and Security issues.
