Bangladesh is a
land of rivers. This beautiful country is cross-crossed by hundreds of rivers
and canals. In fact the rivers of the country are the pride
of this land. Amazingly, our country has a total number of about 700 rivers.
These rivers have a total length of 24,140 km.
The principal rivers of Bangladesh are the Padma, the Meghna, The Jamuna, The Brahamaputra The Dhaleswari, the Karnafuli and so on. Besides, there are many small rivers like Buriganga, Shitalakshya, Gomati, Teesta, Atrai, Karotoa, Mohananda, Madhumati etc.
The Padma: Padma is the oldest river of the country. The name of the river is frequently mentioned in the Hindu Mythology including the Vedas, the Puranas, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. It is the main distributary of the river ''Ganga'' which originates in the Himalayas. The Padma enters Bangladesh from India near Chapai Nababganj. The Rajshahi city is situated on the north bank of the Padma.
The Brahmaputra: It is one of the major rivers of Asia originated in southwestern Tibet. It is about 1,800 miles (2,900 km) long. It is an important river for irrigation and transportation. But the river is prone to catastrophic flooding in spring when the Himalayan snows melt. The river is navigable for most of its length.
Shitalakshya: Shitalakshya is a distributary of the Brahmaputra. The river is about 110 km long and at its widest place, it is 300 meters in width. It remains navigable year round. There are several historical mosques on its banks such as – Bandarshahi mosque, Kadam Rasul mosque, Mariamer masjid etc.
Karnaphuli: It is the largest and most important river in Chittagong. It is originated from the Lushai hills in Mizoram, India. Hydroelectric power plant ''Kaptai Dam'' is situated in this river. The mouth of the river hosts Chittagong's sea port, the main port of Bangladesh. So it is the most important river for the economy of our country.
The Meghna: Meghna is one of the biggest branches of the great river Brahmaputra. It is the widest river among those that flow inside the boundaries of Bangladesh. At one point near Bhola, it is 12 km wide. Despite its very calm and quiet look, this river is the cause of many deaths every year. Ferry-sinking of the river have killed hundreds of people.
The Jamuna: Jamuna is one of the three main rivers of Bangladesh. It is the main distributary channel of the Brahmaputra River. It is also a very wide river. In 1996, a bridge has been built over the river which is called- Jamuna Multi-purpose Bridge. The river is navigable all year round by large cargo and passenger steamers.
The Buriganga: It is the main river flowing beside the capital of Bangladesh. The river is economically very important to Dhaka. Once, the river was the city's main source of drinking water. But now it is afflicted by the noisome problem of pollution. The city of Dhaka discharges about 4,500 tons of solid waste every day and most of it is released into the Buriganga.
The Turag: Turag is a notable river in Bangladesh. It is navigable by boat all year round. According to the religious point of view, the river is very much significant. The largest Bishwa Ijtema of Tabligh Jam'at is arranged by this river in Tongi. About 3 million Muslims annually gather here from over sixty countries.
The Dhaleshwari: It is a 160-km-long distributary of the Jamuna River in central Bangladesh. Though the river is presently a branch of the Jamuna but in the past, it was a part of the main course of the Padma.
The rivers have great influence on the life of the people of our country. The people of Bangladesh love the rivers, and its music. Many of our poets have composed many beautiful poems about rivers. Our agriculture largely depends on these rivers. The rivers supply water and make the land fertile by depositing silt. Thus they help to produce paddy, jute, wheat and many other crop. Besides, most of our rivers are abounded in fishes. Many people earn their livelihood by catching fish in these rivers. Our rivers are important means for transport too. Boats, launches, steamers ply through them in all seasons. They carry passengers and goods from one place to another.
It is a matter of great sorrow that most of our rivers are not in good condition. Many rivers are now in the threat of extinction due to mismanagement and carelessness. We need a better river-management system to preserve our rivers. And if we fail to preserve our rivers, that will create a big threat to our environment.
