Bangladesh ferry death toll rises to more than 100

Bangladesh ferry death toll rises to more than 100

By Farid Ahmed and Sumnima Udas, CNN | March 14, 2012

At least 112 bodies have been recovered after a packed ferry capsized in Bangladesh, police said Wednesday. At least 35 survivors have been rescued, said local police chief Shahabuddin Khan, who is supervising the rescue operation. Khan could not say how many people were on the ferry when it sank early Tuesday in southern Bangladesh. The MV Shariatpur-1 sank in the Meghna River after colliding with a cargo ferry while passengers slept, a survivor said. "We were seven in a cabin in the ferry, and six of my family members are still missing," Mohammad Dulal Dewan told CNN Tuesday.

Dozens missing after ferry capsizes in Bangladesh

By Farid Ahmed and Sumnima Udas, CNN | March 13, 2012

Rescuers searched frantically for survivors after a packed ferry carrying at least 250 people capsized in southern Bangladesh, killing at least 32 people, police said Tuesday. The MV Shariatpur-1 sank in the Meghna River after colliding with a cargo ferry early Tuesday while passengers slept, a survivor said. "We were seven in a cabin in the ferry, and six of my family members are still missing," Mohammad Dulal Dewan told CNN. "Everything happened before I could understand anything.

Meghna River

Meghna River  one of the major rivers in Bangladesh, specially famous for its great estuary that discharges the flows of the Ganges-Padma, the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and the Meghna itself. The downstream of surma river from Ajmiriganj is often referred to as the Meghna. The matter would be simpler but for the fact that from Madna downstream for about 26 km (in a straight line) one of the two channels of the Surma-Meghna is known as the dhaleshwari. The channel from Ajmiriganj down to the confluence with the Dhanu is referred to as the Surma. This confluence is five kilometres east of Kuliarchar and north of Bhairab Bazar. Downstream from this point, the river is referred to as the Meghna.

The Meghna has two distinct parts. The Upper Meghna from Kuliarchar to Shatnol is a comparatively small river. The Lower Meghna below Shatnol is one of the largest rivers in the world because of its wide estuary mouth. The Lower Meghna is at times treated as a separate river.

The Meghna receives the old brahmaputra on its right at Bhairab Bazar. A little above the confluence, the Meghna has a railway bridge-'Bhairab Bridge'-and a road bridge-'Bangladesh-UK-Friendship Bridge' over it. The width of the river there is three-quarters of a kilometre. Several small channels branching off from the Meghna and meandering through the lowland bordering the Tippera Surface receive the flow of a number of hilly streams and rejoin the main river downstream. The most important of these offshoots is the titas, which takes off south of Ghatalpar and after meandering through two long-bends extending over 240 km rejoins the Meghna through two channels in Nabinagar upazila. Other offshoots of the Meghna are the Pagli, Kathalia, Dhonagoda, Matlab and Udhamdi. The Meghna and these offshoots receive water of a number of hilly streams from the Tripura Hills. The important hill streams are the gumti, Kakrai, Kagni, dakatia, Hawrah, Sonaiburi, Harimangal, Pagli, Kurulia, Balujuri, Sonaichhari, Handachora, Jangalia and. All of these are liable to flash floods. The Gumti, Kakrai and Hawrah are the most destructive rivers. They have silted their beds to the extent that they now flow above the mean level of the land when brimful. Numbers of embankments have been built to contain them. But every other year one or the other of these streams overflows and causes considerable damage to crops, livestock and homestead.

The Meghna receives Tippera Surface streams from the east and flows from the enlarged Dhaleshwari from the west. At the confluence, just north of Shatnol, the Meghna is about five kilometres wide. Dhaleshwari comes down in a brown stream and meets the clear blue-green Meghna. For many kilometres the waters do not seem to mix, for half the river water remains brown and the other half blue-green. The boatmen are fond of pointing out this peculiarity.

Sixteen kilometres from Shatnol, the combined flow of the Ganges and Brahmaputra-Jamuna, known as the padma, meets the Meghna at a 11 km wide confluence in the rainy season near Chandpur. From this point southwards the Meghna is marked as the Lower Meghna, becoming one of the broadest rivers and largest estuaries in the world.

Lower Meghna is the combined stream of the Padma and the Meghna (Upper Meghna), reinforced by the Dhaleshwari. All the three rivers are large. The Dhaleshwari-Meghna and the Padma are each 5 km wide at the confluence. The Lower Meghna has several small chars (braid-bars) in it, which create two main channels, of which the large eastern one is 5 to 8 km wide. The western channel is about 2 km in width. Near Muladi the 1.5 km wide Safipur river is an offshoot from the right-bank. Further south, the Lower Meghna shifts into three channels: west to east flowing tentulia (Ilsha) river, the Shahbazpur and the Bamni. The Ilsha is a 5 to 6.5 km wide channel separating Bhola Island from the Barisal mainland.

West of the mouth of the Ilsha is the Rabnabad islands. Shahbazpur Channel, 5 to 8 km wide, separates Bhola from Ramgati and Hatiya islands and at its mouth are the Manpura islands. Bamni now is said to be nonexistent. Formerly it used to flow between the islands of Ramgati and Char Lakshmi and the Noakhali mainland, and was at times the main outlet for Meghna. The tides and their bores always affected it considerably, and this channel narrowed or widened in an unpredictable manner. After eroding a considerable part of the mainland in the 1940s, it suddenly shoaled to such an extent, just west of Noakhali town, that in winter there was a land bridge from the mainland to Ramgati Island. To make this a permanent feature, a large earthen cross dam was built. To accelerate the accretion of chars, a second cross dam was built linking Noakhali mainland and Char Jabbar which rapidly built up nearly 260 sq km of land.

The estuary of the Lower Meghna is usually taken to stretch from the Rabnabad islands to the Kumira coast, a distance of 153 km. The water is, however, saline for half of the year as far north, as a line could be drawn from the middle of Bhola to the north of Sandwip. The estuary of the Lower Meghna may be considered as extending between the Ilsha (Tentulia) and Shahbazpur rivers which together have a width of about 40 km at the sea-face. The volume of the estuarine discharge is not known, but at Chandpur the mean discharge from June to October is around 2.5 million cusec. The mean maximum in this period of the year is about four million cusec. The winter flow is about one-eighth of it although the river is even then several kilometres wide. The low flow is due to the stream's sluggishness. In maximum flood, the Lower Meghna's flow is no less than five million cusec. It is also estimated that from May to October its daily load of sediments is nearly four million tons. The annual load of sediments carried by it is about 1,500 million tons and annual water discharge about 875 million acre-feet (MAF). In comparison, the Congo, La Plata and Yangtse rivers have a total annual flow of 1,022, 636 and 559 MAF respectively. The Lower Meghna, as the major outlet of the combined Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna has therefore somewhat less outflow than the Congo, which is second only to the Amazon.

The Lower Meghna (160 km) is measured from the south of Chandpur to as far as the Tentulia. The flow is estimated for a point mid-way between Chandpur and Mehendiganj. The total length of the Surma-Meghna is about 670 km. The length of the Upper Meghna is measured up to Chandpur, but the discharge is measured at Bhairab Bazar.

A larger number of settlements, towns, ports and industries have sprung up on both the banks of the Meghna. Narsingdi, Chandpur, Barisal and Bhola are the district towns that stand on the banks of the Meghna. Kuliarchar, Bhairab Bazar, Chandpur (Puran Bazar), Ramdaspur, Kalupur and Daulatkhan are important riverports and business centres. The Ashuganj thermal power plant and the Fenchuganj fertiliser factory are located on the banks of this river.

The Meghna is a flood-prone river. The bangladesh water development board (BWDB) has implemented the Meghna Valley Project and constructed embankments along the riverbanks. These embankments are protecting greater Sylhet, Mymensingh and Comilla districts from floods. By constructing dams at different places a total of 180,000 ha of land has been brought under irrigation. About 125 km of dams (Veri Bandh) have been constructed in the southern region of Bangladesh under the coastal enbankment project. These are helping to control floods and keep salinity off. These Veri Bandhs are also playing an important role in land reclamation. 

jamuna River In Bangladesh

Jamuna River The Brahmaputra-Jamuna is the second largest river in Bangladesh and one of the largest in the world, with its basin covering areas in Tibet, China, India and Bangladesh. Actually Jamuna is the downstream course of the brahmaputra which took place after the earthquake and catastrophic flood in 1787. Presently the Brahmaputra continues southeast from Bahadurabad (Dewanganj upazila of Jamalpur district) as the old brahmaputra and the river between Bahadurabad and Aricha is the Jamuna, not Brahmaputra. The Hydrology Directorate of the bangladesh water development board (BWDB) refers to the whole stretch as the Brahmaputra-Jamuna.

It originates in the Chemayung-Dung glacier, approximately at 31°30'N and 82°0'E, some 145 km from Parkha, an important trade centre between lake Manassarowar and Mount Kailas. The Brahmaputra is known as the Dihang in Assam Himalayas before it comes into the Great Plains of Bengal. It enters Bangladesh through Kurigram district (at the border of Kurigram Sadar and Ulipur upazilas). The total length of the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra-Jamuna river up to its confluence with the Ganges is about 2,700 km. Within Bangladesh territory, Brahmaputra-Jamuna is 276 km long, of which Jamuna is 205 km.

The width of the river varies from 3 km to 18 km but the average width is about 10 km. In the rainy season the river is nowhere less than five kilometres broad. The river is in fact a multi-channel flow. Channels of many different sizes, from hundreds of meters to kilometres wide, and of different patterns including braiding, meandering and anastomosing pattern in the country. It is, through most of its course within Bangladesh, studded with islands (chars) many of which are submerged during the rainy season and makes a single water channel. Thus, by breadth alone, this river qualifies as one of the largest in the world. The width/depth ratios for individual channels of the Brahmaputra vary from 50:1 to 500:1. The gradient of the river in Bangladesh is 0.000077, decreasing to 0.00005 near the confluence with the Ganges.

The catchment of the mighty Brahmaputra-Jamuna river is about 5,83,000 sq km of which 293,000 sq km are in Tibet, 241,000 sq km in India and only 47,000 sq km within Bangladesh. The drainage area above Bahadurabad is 536,000 sq km. This is the widest river system in the country flowing north-south. There are gauges and discharges records for this river at Bahadurabad, where amount represents the flow entering Bangladesh plus those of the dudhkumar, the dharla and the tista, and minus those of the Old Brahmaputra and bangali. The discharge during the rainy season is enormous, averaging 40,000 cumec, by which measure it ranks with the Amazon, Congo, La Plata, Yangtse, Mississippi and meghna as one of the seven largest rivers. The highest recorded flood was 98,600 cumec in August 1988.

Average annual flow at Bahadurabad is estimated to be 501 million acre-feet. August has always been the month when widespread flooding has been most likely. Floods from May to July are usually due to the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Meghna. From August to October due to the combined flows of those river and the Ganges. As a rule, the flow of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna is more erratic than that of the Ganges. The gradient of the Jamuna averages 1:11,850 which is slightly more than that of the Ganges. The Jamuna discharges a large volume of water and at the same time brings in huge amounts of sediments. During the rainy season it brings down something like 1.2 million tons of sediment daily, and the annual silt runoff at Bahadurabad is estimated at 735 million tons.

It has four major tributaries: the Dudhkumar, the Dharla, the Tista and the Karatoya-Atrai system. The first three rivers are flashy in nature, rising from the steep catchment on the southern side of the Himalayas between darjeeling in India, and Bhutan. Of all the distributaries, the Old Brahmaputra is the longest and was actually the course of the present Brahmaputra some 200 years ago.

Recently a 4.8-km long bridge has been constructed over the Jamuna for linking the eastern and western parts of Bangladesh. The eastern edge of bangabandhu jamuna multipurpose bridge lies in Bhuapur upazila of Tangail district and the western end in Sirajganj Sadar upazila of Sirajganj district. Apart from quick movement of goods and passenger traffic by road and rail, it has facilitated transmission of electricity and natural gas, and integration of telecommunication links. The bridge was opened for traffic on 23 June 1998. A considerable volume of river training work was done to keep the river within the bridge instead of a flood-width of 14 km at the bridge site.

The Jamuna is braided in nature. Within the braided belt of the Jamuna, there are lots of chars of different sizes. An assessment of the 1992 dry season Landsat image shows that the Jamuna contained a total of 56 large island chars, each longer than 3.5 km. There were an additional number of 226 small island chars, varying in length between 0.35 and 3.5 km. This includes sandy areas as well as vegetated chars. In the Jamuna the period between 1973 and 2000, chars have consistently appeared in the reaches opposite to the Old Brahmaputra offtakes, north and east of Sirajganj and in the southernmost reach above the confluence with the Ganges. In entire Bangladesh during 1981 to 1993, a total of about 729,000 people were displaced by riverbank erosion. More than half of the displacement was along the Jamuna.

Padma River In India

The Padma is a major trans-boundary river between Bangladesh and India. It is the main distributary of the Ganges that originates in the Himalayas. The Padma enters Bangladesh from India near the place called Chapai Nababganj. The river meets the Jamuna near Aricha and retains its name. However, finally meets the Meghna River near Chandpur and takes up the name `Meghna` before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. Rajshahi, a major city in western Bangladesh lies on the north bank of the Padma.

Course of Padma River -
The river originated in the Gangotri Glacier of the Himalaya, the Ganges runs to the Bay of Bengal through India, entering Bangladesh at Shibganj in the district of Chapai Nababganj. Just west of Shibganj, the distributary Bhagirathi emerges and flows southwards from the Hooghly. After the point where the Bhagirathi divides, the Ganges is known as the Padma.

Further downstream in Goalando, 2200 km away from the source, the Padma joins the mighty Jamuna or the Lower Brahmaputra and the resulting combination flows with the name Padma further east, to Chandpur. Here, the widest river in Bangladesh, the Meghna, joins the Padma, continuing as the Meghna almost in a straight line to the south, ending in the Bay of Bengal.

Mythological significance of the river - The Padma is many a time mentioned in Hindu Mythology including the Vedas, the Ramayana, the Puranas and the Mahabharata. In all myths, the river is referred to as a Goddess though the origin differs.

In Valmiki`s Ramayana, Ganga is described as the daughter of Lord Himalaya and Menaka who was taken to the heavens by the deities and started to live in heaven from then, inside Karmandala, a spurt shaped vessel. In Vishnu Purana, Ganga is known to evolve from the toe of Lord Vishnu`s left foot. She flowed across a considerable distance and the pole star caught her in the middle of tumble and kept her on his head round the clock.

Most myths believe on the fact how Ganga came down to earth. By a special favor of Lord Shiva, King Sagara had sixty thousand sons, all of who were burnt into ashes as they disturbed the Mighty Kapila in his meditation. King Sagara, being informed by the heavenly wanderer Narada, sent his grandson Ansuman to Kapila to ask for his mercy. Kapila granted that but only the mighty waters of the Ganga could rescue the souls of the sixty thousand sons of King Sagara. Ansuman`s grandson Bhagiratha approached Ganga and convinced her to come down. To balance such great force of impact of Ganga falling to earth from heavens, Lord Shiva used his disheveled hair.

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Padma River In Bangladesh

Ganges (Ganga) River in Bangladesh. For some 90 miles (145 km) the Ganges River forms the western boundary between India and Bangladesh before it enters Bangladesh at the northern edge of the Kushtia district as the upper segment of the Padma River. The upper Padma flows southeastward to receive the mighty Jamuna River (the name of the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh) near Rajbari. The combined flow of those two rivers constitutes the lower segment of the Padma, which continues to flow southeastward through central Bangladesh to join the Meghna River near Chandpur and to empty into the Bay of Bengal. The Padma River is known for heavy bank erosion, shifting channels, and sandbars that continually emerge in its course. Its main tributary is the Mahananda; its principal distributary is the Madhumati (called the Garai in its upper course). The flow of the Padma is controlled seasonally by the Farakka Barrage, located a few miles upstream in West Bengal, India. A number of major urban centres, including Rajshahi and Pabna, are located along the Padma. The river forms a busy waterway and is a rich source of fish.

brahmaputra-jamuna river system.

Brahmaputra-Jamuna River System  one of the three major river systems of Bangladesh. Brahmaputra-Jamuna and old brahmaputra, with their main tributary tista, and a good number of small tributaries and distributaries constitute the largest floodplain of Bangladesh. Excepting for a small portion in the north, the entire floodplain lies within the pleistocene terrace regions. The floodplain and the Pleistocene terraces almost completely cover two of the six administrative divisions of the country, rajshahi and dhaka.

The brahmaputra enters Bangladesh east of Bhabanipur (India) and northeast of kurigram district. It first flows south and then turns southeast and travels through the madhupur tract to meet the meghna near bhairab bazar. The river seems to be much younger than the ganges. Along with the Meghna, it is making a major contribution to the building up of the delta. Among the major rivers, Brahmaputra-Jamuna is the most energetic and has the highest stream power. This river, despite having a smaller drainage basin than the Ganges, has a steeper slope, a larger discharge, and higher sediment transport and higher sediment content.

The Brahmaputra-Jamuna drains the northern and eastern slopes of the himalayas, and has a catchment area of 5,83,000 sq km. Its tributaries and distributaries include two right-bank tributaries and two left-bank distributaries. The right-bank tributaries are the Tista and Atrai-Gur rivers and the two left-bank distributaries are the abandoned course of the Brahmaputra now known as the Old Brahmaputra and the dhaleshwari. In the true sense of the term, Old Brahmaputra and Dhaleshwari are the loop channels carrying a small part of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna flow to the Upper Meghna river.

By the beginning of the 19th century (1830), the Brahmaputra began to flow below Bahadurabad along the jamuna due mainly to recent faulting. This faulting is a minor adjustment related to the last orogeny and is still active. The Jamuna meets the Ganges at goalandaghat, and together down the confluence takes the name of the padma and joins the Meghna at chandpur. The total length of the river from its source in southwestern Tibet to the mouth in the bay of bengal is about 2,850 km (including Padma and Meghna up to the mouth). Within Bangladesh territory, Brahmaputra-Jamuna is 276 km long, of which Brahmaputra is only 69 km.

The Tista is, by far, the largest tributary of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna system and issues from the western side above the bifurcation point of the Old Brahmaputra and the Jamuna. Up to the close of the 18th century, it flowed into the Ganges but after the destructive floods of 1787, in which a large part of rangpur was laid waste, it suddenly turned east and joined the Brahmaputra just south of Chilmari. Since then, it has kept more or less to this channel. The frequent changes of its course have left a legacy in the shape of numerous stagnant cut-off channels west of Rangpur, most of which are known as Mara (dead) or Budi (old) Tista. The present channel of the Tista makes its entry into Bangladesh north of dimla and travels 177 km before it meets the Brahmaputra, and varies from 300m to 550m in width. The Tista Barrage project, a 615m long barrage, 2,470m long closure dam, flood embankment of about 80 km was completed in 1997-98.

West of Tista are the ghaghat, Dhaljan, Jamuneshwari and Sarbamangala. The Ghaghat is a distributary of the Tista. It flows past Rangpur and gaibandha towns and joins the Brahmaputra a few kilometres north of Fulchhari Ghat. A distributary of the karatoya known as the bangali flows south from Gaibandha. The Ghaghat is for the most part a sluggish stream, choked with weeds. Its flow varies from 50 to 2,500 cusec. The Bangali has a larger flow, varying from 400 to 21,000 cusec.

North of the Tista, two more small tributaries, the dharla and the dudhkumar, meet the Brahmaputra from the west. Both streams originate from the foothills of the Himalayas. The Dharala is a swift river in the rainy season, but a braided clear stream in winter. In its upper course, it is known as the jaldhaka or Singimari. In Rangpur district, it has a small tributary, the Nilkumar, formerly a large river. The Dharala has low and shelving banks and is particularly liable to changing its course. In 1947 it completely diluviated the old site of Kurigram town. The Dudhkumar, known in its upper course as the Sankosh, is a small river. It flows southeast and falls into the Brahmaputra. The major part of the river lies within India.

The Old Brahmaputra takes off from the left bank of the Brahmaputra or the Jamuna to the north of Bahadurabad. Flowing more or less southeast it passes by jamalpur and mymensingh towns and falls into the Meghna at Bhairab Bazaar. The river has no tributary coming from the northeast. Several small distributaries, viz, bangshi, banar, Sirkali and Satia, however, flow out from it. The Bangshi runs more or less south to join the turag and together fall into the buriganga near Dhaka. The Banar, Sirkali and Satia converge to flow together as the shitalakshya and meet the Dhaleshwari close to munshiganj.

The Karatoya is the longest and largest tributary of the Jamuna and originates in a marsh in Baikunthapur in Jalpaiguri district of India. It receives a number of tributaries on the Indian side. It was formerly the main channel of the Tista and was perhaps a distributary of the Brahmaputra. The Karatoya changes its name to atrai from khansama upazila and crosses the barind tract lengthwise all the way to fall into the baral that connects the Ganges with the Jamuna at bera upazila of pabna district.

The part of the Karatoya that passes through Rangpur carries very little water and falls into the Bangali river. The Bogra-Karatoya rises from mithapukur, flows past bogra town and meets the Bangali that links the Rangpur-Karatoya with the Bogra-Karatoya. The Dinajpur-Karatoya was connected with the Rangpur-Karatoya north of Khansama, but at present very little water passes down that channel. The Jamuneshwari-Karatoya flows in slight meanders south-southeast to gobindaganj upazila where the main stream turns east through the Katakhali and falls into the Bangali. The portion of the former river that runs through shibganj upazila remains dry most of the year and effectively separates the Rangpur-Karatoya from the Bogra-Karatoya. The latter flows past Bogra town and runs south, till it joins the Bangali to make the Phuljhor river, which falls into hurasagar. The discharge of the Bogra-Karatoya has declined rapidly since the construction of the Brahmaputra Right Bank Embankment. The fourth part, the Pabna-Karatoya, is a moribund riverbed near Handial. Various other channels are also pointed out as those of the old Karatoya.

West of the Rangpur-Karatoya and the Bogra-Karatoya is the Jamuna, here called the Little Jamuna, to distinguish it from the main Jamuna. The Little Jamuna originates in Jalpaiguri, flows south through eastern dinajpur and western Bogra districts, and falls into the Atrai in naogaon district. The Tulshiganga and Chhiri Nadi, both of which drain the eastern Barind, are its principal tributaries.

The Dhaleshwari, the largest distributary of Jamuna, takes off from the Parbati to join the Shitalakshya which in turn meets the Meghna at Munshiganj. The Dhaleshwari soon bifurcates and its southern arm flows south of manikganj and joins the main stream that flows north of Manikganj 48 km southeast. This southern arm, the Kaliganga, now carries more water than the Dhaleshwari itself. North of their confluence the Dhaleshwari again bifurcates, the southern arm retaining the name, while the northern is called the Buriganga. It flows past Dhaka and joins the Dhaleshwari at Fatulla. The Shitalakshya joins the Dhaleshwari at narayanganj and the joint flow meets the Meghna at Shaitnol.
[Masud Hasan Chowdhury and Md Mahbub Murshed]

Bibliography  Abdul Wazed, Bangladesher Nadimala (Rivers of Bangladesh, in Bangla), Dhaka, 1991; FH Khan, Geology of Bangladesh, University Press Limited, Dhaka, 1991; Haroun Er Rashid, Geography of Bangladesh, University Press Limited, Dhaka, 1991; Hugh Brammer, The Geography of the Soils of Bangladesh, University Press Limited, Dhaka, 1996; Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 1998 Statistical Year Book of Bangladesh, BBS, Dhaka, 1999.

Buriganga River In Bangladesh

Buriganga River a tide-influenced river passing through west and south of Dhaka City. There is a traditional story behind naming it. In ancient times one course of the ganges used to reach the bay of bengal through dhaleshwari. This course gradually shifted and ultimately lost its link with the main channel of the Ganges and was renamed as the Buriganga. The water levels during high and low tides in this river astonished the Mughals.

The Buriganga originated from the Dhaleshwari near Kalatia. Its average width and depth are 400m and 10m respectively. This river is only 27 km long. The turag has joined the Buriganga at Kamrangirchar of Dhaka City. In fact, the main flow of the Buriganga comes from the Turag. It meets with the Dhaleshwari at munshiganj. The present head of the Buriganga near Chhaglakandi has silted up and opens only during floods, but the lower part is still open throughout the year. The downstream junction with the Dhaleshwari fluctuates from time to time according to changes in the position of the latter river; at present it lies about 3.22 km southwest of Fatullah. Its course by Dhaka is stable, fixed by the resistant clays marking the southern edge of the madhupur tract.

The Buriganga is of great economic importance to Dhaka. It provides river connection by launch and country boats. Large steamers can no longer ascend the river in the dry season. In 1989, a bridge (the Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge) was built over the river for vehicles and pedestrians. In 2001, a second bridge over the river was also built at Babubazar for vehicles and pedestrians.

Water pollution in the River Buriganga is as its highest. The most significant source of pollution appears to be from tanneries in the Hazaribagh area. In the dry season, the dissolved oxygen level becomes very low or non-existent and the river becomes toxic. [Sifatul Quader Chowdhury]

Bangladesh River Map

The pride of Bangladesh is its rivers with one of the largest networks in the world with a total number of about 700 rivers including tributaries, which have a total length of about 24,140 km. They consist of tiny hilly streams, winding seasonal creeks, muddy canals (khals), some truly magnificent rivers and their tributaries and distributaries. In some places, such as Patuakhali, Barisal and sundarbans area the watercourses are so plentiful that they form a veritable maze. The watercourses of the country are obviously not evenly distributed. They increase in numbers and size from the northwest of the northern region to the southeast of southern region. Bangladesh has predominantly four major river systems - (1) the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, (2) the Ganges-Padma, (3) the Surma-Meghna, and (4) the Chittagong Region river system. However, Brahmaputra is the 22nd longest (2,850 km) and the Ganges is the 30th longest (2,510 km) river in the world.

Preparing a complete list of the rivers of Bangladesh is more or less tough as often a single river possesses different names at different places. Even a five or six-kilometre segment has a different name upstream or downstream. Also a single name is used for different rivers in different locations. Here, an attempt has been made to present districtwise list of rivers.

Rangpur Dudhkumar, Raidak, Dharala, Tista, Shati, Burikhora-Chiki, Kharvaja, Ghaghat, Jamuneshwari, Aakhir, Kharkharia, Basmai, Dewnai, Chiki, Nilkumar, Bharola, Gadadhar, Sankona, Noadihing, Buridihing, Disang, Dikhu, Kalanga. Kopili, Titash-Giri, Brahmaputra: (26 rivers).

Dinajpur Pathraj, Talma, Punarbhaba, Tepa, Tangon, Dahuk, Ghoramara, Jamuna, Koram, Atrai, Kulica, Baral, Garveshwari, Jabuneshwari, Jaldhaka, Torsa, Kollani, Raidak: (18 rivers).

Rajshahi Fakirni-Baranai, Shiba-Baranai, Mahananda, Pagla, Musa Khan, Ganges, Baranai, Hoja, Godari, Gumani: (10 rivers)

Pabna Gur, Bogra Ichamati, Baral, Hurasagar, Durgadaha, Sukhdaha, Bagra (Usium), Talan: (8 rivers)

Bogra Karatoya, Kathakoli, Bangali, Tulsiganga, Little Jamuna, Nosar, Badal: (7 rivers).

Dhaka Bangsi, Turag, Tongi Khal, Buriganga, Dhaleshwari, Kaliganga, Gazi Khal, Banar, Balu, Shitalakshya, Lohajang, Fuldi, Bhubaneshwari, Kirtinasha or Sreepur (Shitalakshya), Ichamati, Malik Bader Khal, Gajahatar Khal, Ilshamari: (18 rivers).

Mymensingh Jheenai, Aiman, Sutia, Old Brahmaputra, Gharota Nadi, Simahali, Narasundar, Bothai, Nitari, Shomeshwari, Kangsha, Gunai, Kachamathia, Pankura, Saidul, Mogra, Rangra, Kharmori, Mahadeva, Jadukata, Dhanu, Baulai, Shirkhali, Chellakhali, Motichick, Chalhi, Bangshai, Manas, Putia, Jinjiram, Subonfiri, Baleshwar, Vogai Kangsa, Kaulai, Dhanu, Silai, Kharmeni: (37 rivers).

Sylhet Surma, Piyain, Sharigoyain, Bagra Gang, Noiya Gang, Shawla, Dhamalia, Manai Bardal, Juri, Manu, Dhalai, Langla (Karangi), Khowai, Sutang, Kushiyara, Madhabpur, Mahasing, Khajanchi, Vattakhal, Kalni, Jamalpur, Boraba, Lova, Hari, Bogapani, Dhariana, Dhoai, Jadukata, Dhala-Dhalai Gang, Gopla-Langla, Mogai-Chalti, Rakti, Poiyanda, Vera, Mohana, Dhanu-Baulai: (36 rivers).

Comilla Titas, Gumti, Dhanagoda, Dakatia, Dapla Gang, Haora, Kathalia, Sonai, Satnal, Buri, Khaliajhuri, Batakandi, Moricha, Aarshi, Gopi, Marjora, Ghungat, Kheru Nadi, Baijani, Pagli, Shirai, Chandina Khal, Kakri, Malda, Anderson Khal, Matlab, Udnandi or Udmadhi, Kagni, Harimangal, Kurulia, Jaidind, Sonaimuri, Handachera, Jangalia, Durduria, Buri or Bijoy Ganga, Kaladumuria, Burigang, Bijoypur Khal, Chauddagram Khal, Nolia, Bijoli, Ghungar: (44 rivers).

Noakhali Madhukhali Khal, Rahmatkhali Khal, Muhuri, Little Feni, Silonia, Feni, Vulua, Hatiya, Atiabari Khal, Kalir Khal, Patkata Khal, Kothakoli Khal, Baparashi Khal, Goalkhali Khal, Atra Khal, Hura Khal, Gahojatli Khal, Halda, Ichamati: (19 rivers).

Chittagong Halda, Karnafuli, Sangu, Matamuhuri, Bogakhali, Satal Khal, Ichamati, Muhuri, Nad, Kablong, Rakhiang, Satta, Shilpa, Tuibang, Koka, Sreema, Boalkhali, Mogdai, Dongkhal, Naraiyangiri, Chiringa, Icchakhali, Kursai, Sindur Ganga, Kaptai, Rigari Khingar, Chandakhali, Kumirakhali, Chengi, Maini: (30 rivers).

Kushtia Mathabhanga, Garai, Jalangi, Magarkhali: (4 rivers).

Jessore Upper Bhairab, Lower Bhairab, Chitra, Begavati, Nabaganga, Chandana, Kobadak, Barasia, Kholpotua, Alengkhali, Pangubi, Kaba, Kaliganga, Kathipata, Dartanar Khal, Marichhop, Chandkhoni, Pangani, Naingatra Samudra, Baragang, Kumar, Bara Gangdiadaha, Amla Madarpur, Dakoiya, Mara Gorai, Barasia, Palang, Atrai: (28 rivers).

Faridpur Madhumati, Kumar, Arial Khan, Atai, Madaripur Beel Rout: (5 rivers).

Khulna Bhadra, Atharobanki, Alaipur Khal, Kholpotua, Shibsa, Rupsa, Baleshwar, Gasiakhali, Pasur, Aar, Pangania, Oratama, Ichhamati, Namud Samudra, Sonagang, Bhangra, Kunga, Malancha, Satkhira, Sutakhali, Raimangal, Marjat, Harinbhanga, Mahavanga, Galangi, Haripur, Sonai, Budhatar Gang, Dhaki, Galghemia, Uzirpur, Katakhal, Guchiakhali, Badurgachha, Deluti, Manas, Koiyara, Aar-Shibsa, Kalindi, Majudkhali Khal, Aakrar Khal, Mongla, Sola, Paiyra, Aandranmukho, Muhuri, Modla, Hariabhanga, Gangubi, Katcha, Pakashia, Moiyar Gang, Kabipata, Jhank, Shialir Khal, Naraiyankhali, Kadamtali, Bangra, Shila, Kalagachhia, Banshtali, Salokhi, Shakbaria, Aalki, Manikdia, Chandeshwar, Pankushi, Baleshwar Balmarjar or Manjal, Kagibagh, Rampal: (71 rivers).

Barisal Bishkhali, Shawrupkathi or Sandhiya, Babuganj, Agunmukha, Hemda, Lohalia, Shahbazpur, Naiyabhanga, Rajganj, Ganeshpur, Dubaldia, Torki or Turkey, Kirtankhola, Dharamganj, Jhilinha, Mankutha, Multani, Karkhoma, Aagli, Dhulia, Gangalia, Burishwar, Kaliganga, Haringhata, Patua, Tentulia, Dhalia, Nilashi, Nabaganga, Bhola, Pakashia, Chandana or Pangsa, Jabnashbad, Baleshwar, Shamsan Ghat, Moiyar Gang, Naiya Bhangni, Gournadi, Kalabadar, Mirgamari, Katcha, Lata, Ilish or Ilsha, Kabahkali, Madhumati, Andhar Manik, Rabnabad or Patua, Bura Gauranga, Bakerganj, Aamtola, Dhansiri, Sugandha, Jhalokati, Chalna, Aalengkali, Nalbiti, Kharborabad, Galachipa: (58 rivers).

Sundarban area Baleshwar, Sumati, Chhaprakhali, Bara Sheola, Harin China, Sharankhola, Ambare, Chandeswar, Kapa, Kalida, Sathka, Javo, Mara Pasur, Dangmari, Bile, Chhutorkhali, Chalo Bagi, Harmahal, Beri-aada, Bakir Khal, Aar-Shibsa, Hadda, Mahishe, Chhachhon Hogla, Majjot, Shakbare-Singa, Golkhali, Kukumari, Kalagachhe, Domorkhali, Hansarag, Kaga, Nilkamal, Khejurdana, Sejikhali, Baintala, Bangabali, Dobeki, Firingi, Mando, Keorasuti, Bando, Dhakola, Lataberi, Bhetoipara, Baluijhanki, Kalikabari, Bekardon, Andharmanik, Jhale, Patkosta, Base, Golbhaksa, Dhanibune, Harikhali, Manasar Ber, Puspakati, Gangasagar, Kali Lai, Bogi Chenchane, Kurekhali, Bhuer Dane, Katheswar, Sonarupakhali, Dudhmukh, Lathikara, Terokati, Dhanghara, Arbase, Dakshinchara, Sapkhali, Kadamtali, Burer Dabur, Luxmi Pasur, Manki, Ashashuni, Taltakta, Dhabjikhali, Mandaptala, Netokhali, Bhayela, Baganbari, Jharabagna, Bagaura, Baksakhali, Chailtabari, Singartali, Mathabhanga, Narayantali, Kaikhali, Mathura, Khasitana, Agunjala, Phuljhuri, Malabaga, Khamurdana, Ubde, Gubde, Sonaipanthi, Dhonairgang, Kanaikhathi, Marichjhapi, Netai Talpanthi, Dhanpati, Ragakhali, Mukta Bangal, Arijakhali, Dulor Tek, Zingili, Bibir Made, Tekakhali, Deur Zande, Chamta Kamta, Kunche Mathe, Bayla Koyla, Madar Bare, Bayar Nala, Hunke, Dhancher Nadi, Mulye Meghna, Bailo, Betmuri, Burigolli, Chunkuri, Mayadi, Phulbari, Taltali, Angra Kana, Garar Nadi, Badamtali, Bhuter Gang, Baikuntha Hana, Karpuro, Chhaya Halri, Arbhanga, Talakpanthi, Khejure Kurule, Chhoto Sheola, Kanchikata, Dair Gang, Baikiri, Jalghata, Ilishmari, Jhalki, Satnala, Makurni, Helar Ber, Kalinde, Shakbhate, Gonda, Pala, Terobenki, Talbare, Her Matla, Bhurbhure, Chhadankhali, Phataker Dane, Bharkunde, Kendakhali, Naobenki, Kalaser Bali, Panir Khal, Kultali, Barabare, Mukule, Madhukhali, Pashkati, Gochhba, Ghat Harano, Gabandara, Loker Chhipi, Bahar Nadipar, Bara Matla, Payra Thuni, Kalbeyara, Dhukuni, Parshe Mari: (177 rivers). [Mohd Shamsul Alam and Masud Hasan Chowdhury]

Bibliography Abdul Wazed, Bangladesher Nadimala (Rivers of Bangladesh, in Bangla), Dhaka, 1991; FH Khan, Geology of Bangladesh, University Press Limited, Dhaka, 1991; Haroun or Rashid, Geography of Bangladesh, University Press Limited, Dhaka, 1991; Sirajul Islam Chowdhury, Arthanitik Bhugol: Visva and Bangladesh (Economic Geography: World and Bangladesh, in Bangla), University of Dhaka, 1995; Hugh Brammer, The Geography of the Soils of Bangladesh, University Press Limited, Dhaka, 1996; Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Statistical Year Book of Bangladesh 1998, BBS, Dhaka, 1999.

Table Major rivers of Bangladesh

Table Major rivers of Bangladesh

River	Length (km)	Area covered (old districts) in km
Arial Khan	160	Faridpur (102) Barisal (58)
Bangshi	238	Mymensingh (198) Dhaka (40)
Betna-Kholpotua	191	Jessore (103) Khulna (88)
Bhadra	193	Jessore (58) Khulna (135)
Bhairab	250	Jessore, Khulna
Bhogai-Kangsa	225	Mymensingh (225)
Brahmaputra-Jamuna (Jamuna 207)	276	Rangpur (140) Pabna (136)
Buriganga	27	Dhaka (27)
Chitra	170	Kushtia (19) Jessore (151)
Dakatia	207	Comilla (180) Noakhali (27)
Dhaleshwari	160	Mymensingh, Dhaka
Dhanu-Baulai-Ghorautra	235	Mymensingh (126) Sylhet (109)
Donai-Charalkata-Jamuneshwari-Karatoya	450	Rangpur (193), Bogra (157), Pabna (100)
Ganges-Padma (Ganges 258, Padma 120)	378	Rajshahi (145), Pabna (98), Dhaka and Faridpur (135)
Gorai-Madhumati-Baleshwar	371	Kushtia (37), Faridpur (71), Jessore (92), Khulna (104), Barisal (67)
Ghaghat	236	Rangpur (236)
Karatoya-Atrai-Gur-Gumani-Hurasagar	597	Dinajpur (259), Rajshahi (258), Pabna (80)
Karnafuli	180	Chittagong HT, Chittagong
Kobadak	260	Jessore (80) Khulna (180)
Kumar	162	Jessore, Faridpur
Kushiyara	228	Sylhet (228)
Little Feni-Dakatia	195	Noakhali (95) Comilla (100)
Lower Meghna	160	from Chandpur to the Bay of Bengal
Matamuhuri	287	Chittagong HT and Chittagong
Mathabhanga	156	Rajshahi (16), Kushtia (140)
Nabaganga	230	Kushtia (26) Jessore (204)
Old Brahmaputra	276	Mymensingh (276)
Punarbhaba	160	Dinajpur (80) Rajshahi (80)
Rupsa-Pasur	141	Khulna (141)
Sangu	173	Chittagong (80), Chittagong Hill Tracts (93)
Surma-Meghna	670	Sylhet (290), Comilla (235), Barisal (145)
Tista	115	Rangpur (115)

Source Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics 1999

Bangladesh River

River  long water course that flows down a slope along a bed between banks. It originates from a 'source' and culminates to a sea or lake at its 'mouth'. Along its length it may be joined by smaller rivers called 'tributaries'. A river and its tributaries form a 'river system'. Land surfaces are never perfectly flat, and as a result the runoff water after precipitation tends to flow downward by the shortest and steepest course in depressions formed by the intersection of slopes. Runoff water of sufficient volume and velocity join to form a stream that, by the erosion of underlying earth and rock, becomes deep enough to be fed ground water or when it has as its source an ultimate water reservoir, for example, the ganges flowing from the Gangotri Glacier and the brahmaputra from the Manas Sarovar.

A river tends to eliminate irregularities and forms a smooth gradient from its source to its base level. As it approaches base level, downward cutting is replaced by lateral cutting, and the river widens its bed and valley and develops a sinuous course that forms exaggerated loops and bends called meander. A river can open up a new channel across the arc of a meander, thereby cutting off the arc and creating an oxbow lake. River velocity determines quantity and size of rock fragments and sediment carried by the river. Whenever velocity is checked by changes of flow of gradient, by meeting the water mass of lakes or ocean, or by the spreading of water when a stream overflows its banks, part of the load carried by the stream is deposited in the river bed or beyond the channel. Landforms produced by deposition include the delta, the floodplain, the channel bar, and the alluvial fan and cone.

Traditionally, river systems have been classified according to their stage of development as 'young', 'mature', or 'old'. The young river is marked by steepsided valley, steep gradients, and irregularities in the bed; the mature river by a valley with a wide floor and flaring sides, by advanced headward erosion by tributaries, and by a more smoothly gradient bed; and the old river by a course graded to base level and running through a peneplain, or broad flat area. Most of the rivers of Bangladesh are at their old stage and enter into the bay of bengal.

River valleys have been important centres of civilisation, they afford travel routes, and their alluvial soils form good agricultural lands. Navigable rivers are important in commerce and have influenced the location of cities. In Bangladesh, almost all the major cities/towns and commercial centres are located on the banks of rivers, eg, Dhaka on the bank of buriganga, Narayanganj by the side of shitalakshya, Chittagong by the side of karnafuli, and Mymensingh by the side of Brahmaputra. Rivers with sufficient water volume, velocity and gradient can be used to produce hydroelectric power. At kaptai the river Karnafuli of Chittagong region is being utilised for producing hydroelectricity.