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DHAKA, Oct 30, 2025 (BSS) – The government has declared several areas in the northwestern and Chattogram regions as water-stressed zones for a specific period to ensure sustainable water management and protect aquifers and other water-bearing layers.

The decision was made following detailed investigations, tests, and surveys conducted by the relevant authorities, according to a gazette notification issued on October 28. 

In the country’s northwestern hydrological region, 47 unions in 25 upazilas under Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, and Naogaon districts have been identified as severely water-stressed.

Another 40 unions have been classified as highly water-stressed, and 66 unions as moderately water-stressed.

In the Chattogram district, five mouzas under Patiya Municipality have been declared as severely water-stressed and three mouzas as highly water-stressed. 

Besides, seven mouzas in three unions have been marked as severely water-stressed, 27 mouzas in nine unions as highly water-stressed, and 30 mouzas in eight unions as moderately water-stressed.

In the declared areas, water use must strictly follow the priority-based management guidelines outlined in Sections 3 and 18 of the Bangladesh Water Act, 2023. 

No new tube wells or groundwater extraction will be permitted for purposes other than drinking water, and existing tube wells may not be used for non-drinking purposes, it said, adding, “Establishment of groundwater-dependent industries or institutions will be prohibited.”

Canals, ponds, rivers, and other natural water bodies must not be altered, and all public water bodies must remain accessible to the public. Leasing of state-owned water bodies and haors will be discouraged, and the natural flow of watercourses must not be obstructed.

The notification further stated that no reservoir may be fully drained, and no activity that changes the natural characteristics of land or water will be allowed. 

Discharge of untreated liquid or solid waste into rivers, ponds, lakes, or wetlands will be strictly prohibited. Cultivation of high water-consuming crops will be discouraged, while the production of water-efficient crops will be promoted. 

The authorities may issue additional directives as necessary to ensure the availability of safe drinking water and adequate water for household use, according to the gazette notification. 

The government emphasized that compliance with these directives is mandatory. Any violation will be treated as a punishable offense under Section 29 and other relevant provisions of the Bangladesh Water Act, 2023.