The Rivers of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a land of rivers. They have a great influence on our national and economic life. We get good benefits from them.

Our main rivers are the Padma, the Meghna, the Jamuna, and the Karnaphuli. The Karnaphuli issues from the Lusai Mountains, the other rivers issue from the Himalayas and they all flow into the Bay of Bengal. All these rivers have their branches and tributaries. They spread over the country as a network. Thus these rivers give a new identity to our country as riverine Bangladesh.

The rivers are very useful to our life. They are helpful to our agriculture. We use our river water to irrigate our land. We can store river water during the rainy season and use them in dry season. We can also use the current of these rivers for producing electricity. They are important for water-way communication. They are the sources of fish. Many people lead their lives by catching and selling fish got from rivers.

The people of Bangladesh are greatly influenced by the rivers. The art and culture of our people are also influenced by them. Many poets have written poems on the rivers. Many of our people earn their livelihood from rivers.

However, our rivers are also responsible for floods that destroy our economy. Again, in winter season the rivers get dry. Thus, it causes a serious problem to our agriculture. Bangladesh has more than 230 rivers. They are the gifts of nature. We should take proper steps to get more benefits from them. We should dredge them timely and properly.