Introduction: Bangladesh is a land of rivers. There are many rivers in our country. Some are big and some are small. In fact, the pride of Bangladesh is her rivers with one of the largest networks in the world. In spite of being a very small country, Bangladesh has an amazing number of about 700 rivers. The Padma, the Meghna, the Jamuna are the big and wide rivers. The Buriganga, the Sitalakshya, the Dhaleswari, the Teesta, the Madhumati, the Gumati, and the Karnafoli are small rivers. Most of the rivers of our country rise from the Himalayas and fall into the Bay of Bengal.
River systems of Bangladesh: Most of the rivers of our country rise from the Himalayan range and fall into the Bay of Bengal. The rivers of Bangladesh consist of tiny hilly streams, winding seasonal creeks, muddy canals, some truly magnificent rivers, and their tributaries. In some places, such as Patuakhali, Barisal, and Sundarbans, areas the watercourses are so plentiful that they form a veritable maze. However, 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.
Importance of river: The Rivers of Bangladesh play an important role in the wealth of our country. They serve farmers and fishermen alike. They supply water in the dry season and make the land fertile. The rivers serve as the main waterways of Bangladesh. They help our trade and commerce. They help the inhabitants of their banks to become prosperous. The important towns and cities are flourished by the rivers.
Bangladesh is an agricultural country. The prosperity of agriculture depends on the rivers. These rivers have made the soil fertile. So rice, jute, tea, and other crops grow in plenty here. Our rivers abound with fish. Fish is an important wealth. Our fishermen catch a huge quantity of fish and export to foreign countries. Thus they earn a lot of foreign exchange. The rivers of our main ways of communication. Boats, launches, and steamers move on these rivers in all seasons. Men and goods are carried from one town to another part to another. All these are possible only for river communication.
Most of the cities towns, industries, hats, bazaars, trade-centers are on the bank of rivers. The products of mills, factories, and industries are easily carried to rent places through rivers. Raw materials from far and near can be carried easily to our industries. Thus our rivers help in commerce, trade, and industry.
Some of our rivers are the source of energy. This energy helps our industries. Some of the rivers are used to produce electricity. Goalpara and Karnafuli hydro-electric projects are used to solve the electricity problem.
Art and Literature: The Rivers have influenced many of our writers and poets. Many rivers have found expressions in the writings of Rabindranath Tagore. Kazi Nazrul Islam, Michael Modhusudhan, and Jasim Uddin. Some of the Bengali novels have been named after our rivers: Padma Nadir Manjhi and Padma promatha. Our artists and painters like Jainul Abedin have been much influenced by our rivers. Shari, Bhatiali, and Murshidi are the expressions of our village people’s love for rivers.
Demerits: Rivers have some demerits also. Sometimes they cause great damage to our life and property. In the rainy season, the rivers overflow their banks and cause a flood. They bring untold suffering to the people. The rivers have a great influence on the people of our country. In spite of the little harm, the rivers are useful to us in many ways. They are the source of our health wealth and happiness. So proper steps should be taken to save these rivers as early as possible.
The present condition of rivers: the present condition of the big rivers is not good. The big rivers are going to dry up by the artificial barrage on the rivers. The normal flow of the rivers is blocked by the barrage. The normal flow of the river should be kept.
Conclusion: The Rivers of Bangladesh play a vital role in the progress and prosperity of the country. They are the source of our wealth, health, and happiness. It true that sometimes they bring devastation for the people. But long-term planned and determined efforts may help us use these rivers more meaningfully.
