Rivers of Bangladesh

RIVERS OF BANGLADESH

Water is Bangladesh’s blessing and curse. For nearly half the year, the monsoon rains cause the country’s three major rivers, the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna, and their tributaries to swell. Devastating floods are often the consequence. During the rest of the year, the dry season brings almost no rainfall, and droughts threaten the livelihoods of people and the health of the natural environment.

The mighty river Ganges, which begins in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, enters Bangladesh from the north west through Rajshahi Division. It joins the Brahmaputra in the centre of the country, north west of the capital, Dhaka. The Ganges changes it’s name to Padma as it passes into Bangladesh, while the main flow of Brahmaputra is known as Jamuna. It is these great rivers and their countless tributaries that have the most apparent effect on the landform – constant erosion and flooding over the alluvial plains change the course of rivers, landscape and agriculture. The Jamuna alone is estimated to carry down 900 million tons of silt each year.

Rivers are the most important geographical features in Bangladesh, and it is the rivers that created the vast alluvial delta. It’s been known that the out flow of water from Bangladesh is the third highest in the world, after the Amazon and the Congo systems. The Padma, Jamuna and the lower Meghna are the widest rivers, with the latter expanding to around eight kilometers across in the wet season, and even more during the floods.

Bangladesh is proud of its vast rivers and therefore affectionately called ‘the Land of Rivers’ by its people. Every year they enrich the soil and make it more fertile. At the same time they also cause immense loss of lives and wealth when the devastating floods occurs.

The best way to see the real beauty of Bangladesh and its rivers is by taking a boat trip on the rivers. A trip from Dhaka to Khulna on board the famous Paddle Steamer through some big and small rivers gives you the opportunity to witness this unique beauty.