Jamuna River Bank Protection and Navigation Improvement Project: Bangladesh's Largest River Infrastructure

Jamuna is among the world's fastest eroding rivers, with average annual bank retreat exceeding 500m in some reaches. In 2020, approximately 18,000ha of land was lost and 100,000 households were displaced. Bank protection directly affects the resilience of riverfront cities such as Sirajganj, Tangail, and Gaibandha, and supports safety of Jamuna Bridge, the longest bridge in Bangladesh (4.8km).

The World Bank (WB) provides US$900M for BP-1, BP-2, part of NAV, and PMC, while ADB provides US$900M for BP-3 and RS; GoB contributes US$400M. Both WB and ADB packages are procured through international competitive bidding (ICB), creating open participation channels for Korean firms. Typical package sizes of US$300M to US$600M require consortium or JV-level structuring.

(1) Embankment works: applying Korean hydroscape and river works capabilities in CC block and geobag installation. (2) Dredging operations: Korean dredging specialists with CSD and TSHD fleets can compete strongly. (3) Geotextile: underwater filters and geogrids from Korean materials makers (e.g., Samyang, Korea Tex) have technical fit. (4) Groyne design and construction: advanced river engineering approaches for bed stabilization are in demand. (5) PMC consulting: room exists for K-water and KICT experts in technical review and implementation support.

(1) Monsoon-phase work stoppage: Jamuna water levels rise above 10m from June to October, reducing effective construction windows to about six months annually. (2) Bed volatility: unpredictable channel shifts in braided systems require adaptive design and phased implementation. (3) Massive sediment mobility: annual loads in the order of hundreds of millions of tons require continuous maintenance budgets for dredging. (4) Social issues: resettlement, fishing rights, and river landing operations demand structured local engagement. (5) Transboundary water effect: upstream India hydropower and development decisions may affect downstream discharge, so bilateral water cooperation frameworks become important.