By Md Aynal Haque RAJSHAHI, Jan 8, 2026 (BSS) - The vast Barind region is facing increasingly unpredictable droughts due to inadequate and uneven rainfall, affecting the timing of monsoon onset and withdrawal, experts said. Sharing his observations, Prof Niamul Bari of the Department of Civil Engineering at Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) said the Barind region is among the worst drought-hit areas of the country, with the number of consecutive dry days and temperature steadily rising over the last three decades. He said drought episodes have become more erratic due to climate change, a trend that is likely to intensify in the coming years, creating severe challenges for vulnerable communities. During prolonged dry spells, most surface water sources dry up, leaving people without sufficient water for drinking, sanitation and agriculture, he added. The human cost of drought includes increased disease incidence, particularly among children, malnutrition caused by crop failure, rising poverty and hindered socio-economic development, Prof Bari noted. Talking to BSS, Prof Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan of the Department of Geology and Mining at Rajshahi University said the Barind region receives an average annual rainfall of about 1,400 millimetres, significantly lower than the national average of around 2,300 millimetres. He explained that rainwater does not easily recharge groundwater due to clayey soil with low porosity, resulting in high evaporation. The absence of large surface water bodies such as rivers or lakes further slows groundwater recharge. During droughts, people mainly depend on hand-pumped tube wells drawing water from shallow aquifers that rely on seasonal rainfall. However, under prolonged drought conditions, these aquifers dry up, rendering tube wells ineffective, he said. To enhance the resilience of climate-vulnerable communities, the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) has undertaken a project with financial support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Under the initiative, more than 2.5 lakh marginalized families affected by climate change will gain access to water for drinking, farming and household use in the drought-prone Barind region. The four-year project, titled "Extended Community Climate Change Project-Drought (ECCCP-Drought)," is being implemented in 14 upazilas of Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Naogaon districts at an estimated cost of around Tk 300 crore. Key components of the project include capacity building of government and private institutions on climate change, artificial groundwater recharge, re-excavation of ponds and canals, and expansion of drought-tolerant crop cultivation. As part of promoting Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR), around 2,500 rooftop-based MAR systems will recharge nearly five lakh cubic metres of water into aquifers annually. In addition, 40 injection wells in ponds will replenish about four lakh cubic metres of groundwater each year, while ponds will store around 1.5 lakh cubic metres of surface water. The project also aims to introduce drought-adaptive cropping patterns involving crops such as rice, wheat and mung bean, selected based on moisture tolerance, crop duration and water requirements. About 15,000 farmers will be engaged in these practices. Under the scheme, 3,500 hectares of land will be brought under irrigation through the rehabilitation of 140 kilometres of canals across the three districts. Fruit trees requiring minimal water, along with cotton, will also be promoted to enhance farmers' income and reduce agricultural water use by at least 70 percent. ECCCP-Drought Project Coordinator Rabi Uzzaman told BSS that climate change is altering the nature of droughts in the Barind tract by increasing temperature and rainfall variability, posing serious threats to lives and livelihoods. He said the project aims to address these challenges through improved water management, climate-adaptive technologies, infrastructure maintenance and better planning for irrigation and domestic water use. The initiative will also increase access to safe drinking water, easing the burden on women, he added.

MADARIPUR, Jan 8, 2026 (BSS) - A teenager was killed and another injured in a road accident at Rajoir upazila of the district last night. The deceased was identified as Osman, 19, son of Billal Howlader of Uttaripara village under Rangabali Police Station in Patuakhali district. He was a student of Baitul Noor Cadet Madrasa. The accident occurred around 10:00 pm near Rajoir Bridge on the Dhaka-Barisal highway when a Dhaka-bound bus of 'Shyamoli Paribahan' hit a motorcycle from opposite direction, leaving bike rider Osman dead on the spot and its co-rider Hasibul, 16, injured. The injured was sent to a local hospital. Officer-in-Charge of Mustafapur Highway Police Station Md. Mamun Al Rashid confirmed the matter.