4.

Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA)

Origin:
The part of greater Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Rangpur and Bogra District of Bangladesh and the Indian
territorial Maldah District of West Bengal is geographically identified as Barind Tract. The hard red soil
of these areas is very significant in comparison to that of the other parts of the country. The Rajshahi
Barind Tract is located in between 24 degree 23 minute to 25 degree 15 minute north latitude and 88
degree 2 minute to 88 degree 57 minute east longitude. A typical dry climate with comparatively high
temperature prevails in Barind area except for the wet season beginning from mid June to October.
Rainfall in the area varies from about 1500 mm to 2000 mm. Temperature ranges from 8 degree Celsius
to 44 degree Celsius. The total cultivable area being 1.44 million acres, out of which 34% is loamy, 10%
Sandy, 49% is clayed and 7% others. Out of the total cultivable land, 84% are single cropped, 13% are
double cropped and the rest are triple cropped. The cropping intensity was 117%.

The Rajshahi Barind Tract was much flourished and the Socio-economic activities were much better in
comparison to that of the other part of the country before 1947. In that time the area was well
communicated to Kolkata, the capital city of west Bengal, now in India. Trade and commerce was much
dependent on Kolkata and this Region was the hinterland of Kolkata port. After partition of India
communication, trade and commerce of this region with Calcutta was ceased totally and all the socio-
economic activities almost came to a halt. As there was no well road linkage to the other part of the
country, even to capital city Dhaka; no effort could make any development or any upliftment of the socio-
economic structure of this region. As days passed by, this tract of land had fallen behind in all phases of
development and economic activities could not be generated much. Further, the latest development in
industrialization within the country could not make any headway in this Region. As a result the standard
of living of the people of this region came to a lower level compared to that of the other parts of the
country.

In 1985 the Government approved a project named Barind Integrated Area Development Project under
the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation. In 1990 the project was declared complete using
only 26% of the fund allocated. On completion of the project a review was conducted and to speed up the
development project implementation of the Barind area a separate authority was created named Barind
Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) on 15th January 1992 under the ministry of
Agriculture. The authority has so far implemented 27(Twentyseven) development projects.

Objectives:

The Development priorities of the Barind Area particularly concerning the development of
Agriculture include:-

a) Augmentation of surface water resources and its use.

b) Increasing irrigation facilities by using underground water through Deep Tube Wells.
c) Formulate and implement command area development project for creating water supply
system for irrigation and development of irrigation.
d) Insure electrification of irrigation equipment and agro-based industries in the area.
 e) Re-excavation of ponds/Khal for psciculture development and for Irrigation.
f) A forestation to achieve environmental and ecological balance.
g) Improving road communication by construction/Re-construction of feeder Roads.
h) Crop diversification by using Deep Tube wells, Shallow Tube wells and other pumps.

Functions:

A list of functions Of BMDA and its achievements up to October, 2013 is presented

below:

Development activities Achievement

(Up to October’2013)
Installation of DTW 14737
Irrigation Water Distribution 14199

System (Nos.)
Cross dam Construction (Nos.) 636
Re-excavation of Canals (km.) 1238
Re-excavation of Derelict Ponds (Nos.) 2920
Feeder Road Construction (Km.) 808.71
Drinking water supply from irrigation 1029

deep tube well (Nos.)

Afforestation (Lakh) 246.957
Farmer training (Person) 135743
Deep tube well utilization in 2012-2013 (No) 14090
Irrigated area in 2012-2013 (Hec) Boro 260752; T-Amon 187585; Aus 47602

& Others 137218

Irrigation charge realization in 2012-2013 (Tk. Lakh) 16053.65
Deep tube well utilization in 2013-2014 (No) 11309
Irrigated area in 2013-2014 (Hec) Aus 41747; T-Amon 203987 & Others: 5924
Irrigation charge realization in 2013-2014 (Tk. Lakh) 247
Performance:
Since its inception BMDA has implemented 27 development projects. The performance of these project is
presented below:

Project Name Components Achievement

1. Barind Integrated Area Development Project-Phase-I (1985-1990) a) Installation of 1512
DTW (nos.)
1170
b) Re-excavation of
Derelict Ponds 6.5
(nos.)
26
c) Re-excavation of
Canals (miles) 10

d) Water 47.98
Distribution System
(nos.) 49.21

e) Electrification of
DTW (nos.)

f) Construction of
Feeder Road (km.)

g) Afforestation
(Lakh)
2. Barind Integrated Area Development Project-Phase-II (1990-2001) a) Installation of 3536
DTW (nos.)
784
b) Re-excavation of
Derelict Ponds 40.50
(nos.)
30
c) Re-excavation of
Canals (km.) 2074

d) Construction of 3040
Cross dam (nos.)
65.85
e) Irrigation Water
Distribution System 84.21
(nos.)

f) Electrification of
DTW (nos.)

g) Feeder Road
 Construction (km.)

h) Afforestation
(lakh)
3. Fine Rice Production Project in Barind Area (1995-2001) a) Seed 43.70
Procurement (MT.)
25.65
b) Seed Distribution
(MT.) 2679

c) Farmers Training 142

(nos.)

d) Demonstration
plot (nos.)
4. Rural Drinking Water Supply (PILOT) Project (1995-1997) Drinking Water 26
Distribution System
Construction (nos.)
5. Barind Rural Road Development Project-Phase-I (1994-2000) a) Construction of 335.38
Feeder road (Km)
186
b) Construction of
Culvert, Bridge 14.15
(Nos.)

c) Afforestation
(Lakh)
6. Barind Bridging Project a) Re-excavation of 80
pond. (Nos.)
(2001-2003) 12.8
b) Re-excavation of
canal (Km) 8

c) Construction of 4.00
Cross Dam (Nos)

d) Afforestation
(lakh)
7. Barind Rural Road Development Project-Phase-II (2000-2003) a) Construction of 37
Feeder road (Km.)
22
b) Construction of
Culverts (Nos.) ( 162M.)

e) Afforestation 0.1
(Lakh)
8. Intensive Afforestation Project a) Afforestation i) 5.56
 Fruit tree (lakh) 21.66
(1997-2004)
ii)
Forest trees (lakh)
9. Repair Rehabilitation of Deep tube well Project in Grater Dinajpur
Rehabilitation of
District Under Post-Drought Agricultural Rehabilitation Programme 1217
DTW (Nos)
(2003-2004)
a) Construction of
lined irrigation
2600
10. Barind Command Area Development And Training Project of channel (nos.)
(1996-2006)
30000
b) Farmers training
(Person)
a) Electrification of
DTW (Nos.)

b) Electric Pump
purchase (Nos.)
2203
c) Const. of sub-
station (Nos.) 2203

d) Supply & 05
Installation of 3´15
KVA 11/0.4 KV 495
distribution sub-
11. Barind DTW Electrification Project (1996-2006)
station (Nos.)

e) Supply &
1708
Installation of 3´10
KVA 11/0.4 KV
distribution sub- 330
station (Nos.)

f) Rehabilitation of
11/0.04 KV, 3´15 &
3´10 KV
distribution sub-
station (Nos.)
a) DTW installation
12. Barind DTW Installation Project (Nos.) 1650

(2001-2006) b) Testing well sunk 100

(Nos.)
a) Training (Person) 1817
13. Bangladesh Fine Rice Production and Marketing Programme
b) Seed supply and 40
(2004-2006)
procurement (MT).
70
 c) Establishment of
demonstration Plot
(Nos).
a) Afforestation
(lakh)

b) Re-excavation of
pond (Nos.)
5.55
c) Re-excavation of
canal (Km) 43
d) Cross Dam 16.50
(Nos.)
11
e) Excavation of
Mini ditch. (Nos)
430
f) Water sealed
14. Eco-System Management in Barind Areas (1999-2006) 96
latrine (Nos.)
23
g) Pilot-Home
lighting (set)
20
h) Pilot-Biogas
plant (Nos.) 12

i) Drinking water 9
supply system
1
j) Established of
Eco-village (Nos.)

k) Mini Eco-Park
(Nos.)
a) Construction of
water supply
installation (Nos.) 282
15. Drinking Water Supply from Irrigation Deep Tubewell Project
(2002-2007)
b) Extension of 27
water supply
installation (Nos.)
a) Underground
1217
water distribution
16. Command Area Development & Training Project, Unit-2, system (Nos)
12
Thakurgaon (2003-2008)
b) Construction of
1
water supply
 installation (Nos.)

c) Sprinkler
Irrigation system
(Nos.)
a) Construction of
Road (Km.)

b) Construction of
Bridge/Culvert 237.50
(Nos.)
87
c) Construction of
17. Barind Rural Road Development Project, Phase-3 (2003-2008) Office Building 3
(Nos.)
686
d) Road/Culvert
repair/maintenance 3
(Km.)

e) Afforestation
(Lakh)
a) Afforestation
i)Fruit (Lakh)
3

ii) Forest (lakh) 10

18. Afforestation Program for Ecological Balance in Unit-2 Area of
Barind Project (2005-2008)
b) Nursery 13
establishment
(Nos.) 2030

c) Training (Person)
a) Installation of
DTW (nos.)
1100
b) Water
Distribution System 1100
19. Deep Tubewell Installation Project, Unit-2, Thakurgaon (2005-
(nos.)
2010)
1100
c) Electrification of
DTW (nos.) 5000

d) Training (Person)
1000
a) Re-excavation of
Canals (Km.)
20. Barind Rain Water Conservation & Irrigation Project (2004-2010) 800
b) Re-excavation of
555
 Ponds (Nos.)

c) Construction of
Cross Dam (Nos.)
a) Pre-Paid Meter
(Nos.)
3000
b) Smart Card
(Nos.)
30000
c) Mobile Vending
100
21. Smart Card Baised Pre-paid Pump Usage & Energy Measuring Unit (Nos.)
System Project (2008-2010)
25
d) Card Reader
(Nos.)
4
e) Server (Nos.)
9
f) Tower
Installation (Nos.)
a) Seed production,
procurement,
processing &
marketing (MT.)
2000
b) Foundation &
65
berdder seed
22. Quality Seed Production Project on Farmer Level (2006-2011)
procurement (MT.)
12600
c) Training (Person)
625
d) Demonstration
plot estabblishment
(Nos.)
a) Afforestation i)
Fruit (Lakh)
16.80
ii)
Medicinal & Forest
18.70
23. Barind Environmental Balance Restoration Through Afforestation (Lakh)
Project (2006-2011)
1042
b) Training (Person)
25
c) Nursary
establishment
(Nos.)
24. 25. Capacity Building & Resource Mobilization for Sustainable a) Green Manuring
1330
Land Management (Eco System Management) in Bangladesh (SLMP, (Kg.)
Barind Part) (2009-2011)
 b) Compost Heap 20
(Nos.)
05
c) Eco-village
(Nos.) 2486

d) Plantation (Nos.) 10

e) Water sealed 01
latrine ( nos.)
02
f) Tissue culture
lab. (No) 02

g) Bio-gas plant 75
(Nos.)

h) Re-excavation of
pond (Nos.)

i) Training (Person)
a) Installation of
DTW (nos.)
2000
b) Water
Distribution System
2000
25. Barind Integrated Area Development Project-Phase-III (2007- (nos.)
2012)
2000
c) Electrification of
DTW (nos.)
0.12
d) Afforestation
(Lakh)
a) Seed
procurement,
processing,
preservation &
marketing (MT.) 416.82

b) Foundation & 3.27

26. 27. Fine Rice Production & Marketing Program (2009-2012) berdder seed
procurement (MT.) 16000

c) Training (Person) 390

d) Demonstration
plot estabblishment
(Nos.)
 a) Water supply
installation (Nos.)
695
27. Drinking Water Supply from Irrigation Deep Tube well Project b)Water supply
24
(2008-2012) installation
extension (Nos.)
1500
c) Training (Person)