Rivers

Definition of River
A natural flow of water that continues in a long line across the land to the sea (Oxford Learners Dictionary).
A river is a ribbon-like body of water that flows downhill from the force of gravity.
A river can be wide and deep, or shallow enough for a person to wade across. A flowing body of water that
is smaller than a river is called a stream, creek, or brook. All rivers have a starting point where water begins
its flow (National Geographic Society, 2019)
-A wide, natural stream of fresh water that flows into an ocean or other large body of water and is usually
fed by smaller streams----river

Increasing pop pressure and expansion of human settlements: water quality is worst in highly
populated areas, average in medium populated areas, and less serious in less populated areas. Further,
population density is a major factor that should be well controlled to overcome the rapid deterioration and
degradation of the water ecosystem. With a population of over 15 million, Dhaka is one of the most
congested cities in the world. This rapidly growing city is located on the northern bank of the river
Buriganga and surrounded by other rivers, namely, the Turag to the west, the Tongi Khal to the north, and
the Balu to the east. The rivers surrounding Dhaka are an advantage to it and essential for the survival of the
mega city as these provide drainage systems, drinking water, different kinds of fish, and also waterways for
traveling.
However, being the capital of Bangladesh -- one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world,
the city has been developed haphazardly without considering its physical and social diminution. As a result,
the environmental consequences originating from the rapid increase of population along with the rise of
polluting effluents from industries, and municipal as well as other waste are having profound negative
impacts on rivers around Dhaka city. In turn, the polluted waters of the rivers are posing increasing threats to
the living organisms including humans residing by the rivers.

Poverty leads to over-exploitation of resources: Since the poor depend more critically on natural
resources-based activities in agriculture and allied sectors, they are often seen as causes as well as victims of
environmental degradation. Similarly, there are a large number of situations where the non-poor are the
major cause of environmental degradation. Intensive exploitation of groundwater also causes serious threats
to living species by the decline of groundwater, subsidence, attenuation and drying of springs, decrease of
river flow, and increased pollution vulnerability, among other processes.

Commercial and over-harvesting of fishery stock by the leaseholders: In addition to harvesting

large amounts of fish and seafood to sell, large-scale fishing operations catch and often unintentionally kill
untargeted marine life, including juvenile fish, corals and other bottom-feeding organisms, sharks, whales,
sea turtles, and birds. Overfishing can result in the over-exploitation of marine ecosystem services. Fishing
can cause several negative physiological and psychological effects for fish populations including increased
stress levels and bodily injuries resulting from lodged fish hooks. Overharvesting, or overfishing in the case
of fish and marine invertebrates, depletes some species to very low numbers and drives others to extinction.
In practical terms, it reduces valuable living resources to such low levels that their exploitation is no longer
sustainable.

Expansion-of-agricultural activities: Agricultural practices may also have negative impacts on water
quality. Improper agricultural methods may elevate concentrations of nutrients, fecal coliforms, and
sediment loads. Increased nutrient loading from animal waste can lead to eutrophication of water bodies
which may eventually damage aquatic ecosystems. Excessive irrigation can affect water quality by causing
erosion, transporting nutrients, pesticides, and heavy metals, or decreasing the amount of water that flows
naturally in streams and rivers. It can also cause a buildup of selenium, a toxic metal that can harm
waterfowl reproduction.

Pollution due to agrochemicals: Chemicals and heavy metals from industrial and municipal wastewater
contaminate waterways as well. These contaminants are toxic to aquatic life—most often reducing an
organism's life span and ability to reproduce—and make their way up the food chain as predator eats prey.
To protect their crops from bacteria and insects, farmers often use chemicals and pesticides. When these
substances seep into the groundwater, they can harm animals, plants, and humans. Additionally, when it
rains, the chemicals mix with rainwater, which then flows into rivers and streams that filter into the ocean,
causing further water pollution.

Radioactive Waste: Radioactive waste from facilities that create nuclear energy can be extremely
hazardous to the environment and must be disposed of properly. This is because uranium, the element used
in the creation of nuclear energy, is a highly toxic chemical. Unfortunately, accidents still occur at these
facilities, and toxic waste is released into the environment. The coal and gas industries are, in many ways, no
better. This is one of the major impetuses behind the development of alternative, clean sources of energy,
including solar and wind

Global Warming: Rising temperatures due to global warming are a major concern in terms of water
pollution. Global warming causes water temperatures to rise, which can kill water-dwelling animals. When
large die-offs occur, it further pollutes the water supply, exacerbating the issue.

Sewage and Wastewater: Harmful chemicals, bacteria, and pathogens can be found in sewage and
wastewater even when it’s been treated. Sewage and wastewater from each household is released into the sea
with fresh water. The pathogens and bacteria found in that wastewater breed disease, and therefore are a
cause of health-related issues in humans and animals alike.

Industrial Waste: Industries and industrial sites across the world are a major contributor to water
pollution. Many industrial sites produce waste in the form of toxic chemicals and pollutants, and though
regulated, some still do not have proper waste management systems in place. In those rare cases, industrial
waste is dumped into nearby freshwater systems. When industrial waste is not treated properly (or worse,
not treated at all), it can very easily pollute the freshwater systems that it comes into contact with.

Marine Dumping: The process of marine dumping is exactly what it sounds like, dumping garbage into the
waters of the ocean. The corals of St. Martin Island are almost dead, littered with marine debris, plastic
packages, and food wrap discarded by hundreds of tourists daily. Every year about 2 lakh tons of plastics
enter the Bay of Bengal from Bangladesh (The Daily Star, 2021).

The major types of rivers in BD: Bangladesh is renowned for its beautiful geomorphic features, including
the massive rivers flowing throughout the country. Within the borders of Bangladesh lie the bottom reaches
of the Himalayan Ranges' water sources, which serve as the primary sources for rivers that flow through
such countries as China, Bhutan, and India and eventually pass into the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh. The
Bangladesh Rivers also drive various economic activities such as agriculture, waterway communication, and
energy sources among others. Since these rivers play a significant role in economic growth, it is therefore
deemed important to study some of the major rivers in Bangladesh, focusing on the countries they flow
through. The following are some of the major rivers in Bangladesh.

Brahmaputra River: The Brahmaputra River is one of the greatest in Asia and the longest to pass through
Bangladesh, covering a length of 1,802 miles, and also cutting across India, Bhutan, and China. It starts
from Kailash in northern Tibet and ends in the Bay of Bengal. The Assam people see this river as both a
blessing and a curse citing the floods it causes on the adjacent land during the monsoon but leaves an
immensely fertile ground after the floods. Peasants take advantage of this land not only to plant food for
their use but also for export purposes. Despite its significance to the Assamese, the river is also prone to
surface water pollution that arises from oil spillages from vehicles and nearby factories.

Jamuna River: The upper Padma flows southeastward to receive the mighty Jamuna River (the name of
the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh) near Rajbari. The Jamuna River is one of the three main rivers of
Bangladesh. It is the lower stream of the Brahmaputra River, which originates in Tibet as Yarlung Tsangpo,
before flowing into India and then southwest into Bangladesh. In the past, the course of the lower
Brahmaputra was different and passed through the Jamalpur and Mymensingh districts. In a major
magnitude earthquake on April 2, 1762, the main channel of the Brahmaputra at Bahadurabad point was
switched southwards and opened as Jamuna due to the result of the tectonic uplift of the Madhupur tract.
The Jamuna is a very wide river. During the rains, it is about 5–8 miles (8.0–12.9 km) from bank to bank.
Even during the dry season when the waters subside, the breadth is hardly less than 2–3 miles (3.2–4.8 km).

Ganges River: The River Ganges originates from the Himalayan Mountains and it is accompanied by three
distinct courses of flow, namely its upper, middle, and lower courses. Famous for its large water basin, it
stretches over a distance of 1,569 miles cutting through India and Bangladesh. Over the years, the
surrounding area has always been liable to floods causing numerous effects to the inhabitants living nearby.
Despite all these effects that are detrimental to the residents, the floods also bring some benefits to land
fertility.

Meghna River: The River Meghna hails from the convergence of the Surma and Kushiyara Rivers.
Considered as one of the most important rivers in Bangladesh, it measures 164 miles and fans out of the Bay
of Bengal. Its delta constitutes four principal mouths, namely Shahbazpur, Bamni, Hatia, and Tetulia.

Transboundary River: A transboundary river is a river that crosses at least one political border, either a
border within a state or an international boundary. Bangladesh has the highest number of these rivers,
including two of the world's largest rivers, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. Bangladesh has at least 57
major rivers that enter the country from India or Myanmar. The hydrologic and political effects of rivers that
cross significant boundaries are enormous. Rivers have positive effects in that they carry a significant
amount of sediment, which aids in building land in estuarine regions However this sediment raises the
height of riverbeds, thereby causing flooding. International conventions governing water sharing have led to
complex political disputes.

Transboundary riverine issues of BD

India and Bangladesh share 54 common rivers of which agreement has been reached only on sharing of
waters of the river Ganga. The India-Bangladesh Treaty on the Sharing of Ganga Waters was signed on
December 12th, 1996, and is based on a sharing formula of the flows measured at Farakka, during the lean
season each year, from 1st January to 31st May. The 30-year Treaty is renewable by mutual consent. The
two countries have a bilateral Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) that was established in June 1972 to maintain
liaison between the two countries to maximize benefits from common river systems, formulation of flood
control works, formulation of proposals on advance flood warnings, flood forecasting, and cyclone warning.
The last meeting of JRC took place in Dhaka in September 2005. In September 2006, the Water Resources
Ministers of both countries jointly visited some river sites in both countries and discussed issues relating to
riverbank protection, minor lift irrigation, and drinking water schemes. Transboundary water disputes occur
whenever water demand is shared by any set of interests, be they political, economic, environmental, or
legal. Conflicts over shared water resources occur at multiple scales, from sets of individual irrigators, to
urban versus rural uses, to nations that straddle international waterways. The issue of managing international
rivers would be more convenient had there been an international government or an overarching authority
that could oversee such a task.
However, the international system remains anarchical without a clear set of laws for states to follow. The
principles of international law applicable to the use of transboundary resources like rivers are many and
often contradictory. Conflicts over the use of water resources are growing where population pressures and
competing demand for resources are rising. However, research has been done by several workers all over the
world to identify the nature of disputes and to find out their possible resolution.
Sharing And Protecting Bangladesh's Mighty Waterways: Bangladesh and India share as many as 54 distinct
rivers, and the Joint River Commission has been established to manage the tensions between the two
countries and their shared waters which started as far back as 1972, shortly after the establishment of
Bangladesh as its sovereign nation. Recently, there has been a dispute over the Teesta River. In 1996 there
was a bilateral signed between the two countries and established a 30-year water sharing on the Ganges.
Initially, there was an ad-hoc water-sharing agreement made in 1983 between the two countries, wherein
India was allocated 39% and Bangladesh was allocated 36% of the water flow. The new arrangement was
built on the earlier agreement proposing an equal share between the countries.

1. Transportation: Inter-district transportation is made easier by rivers. All districts of this country are not
connected with railways or roads. Lots of rivers connected those districts with waterways. The water
transportation system has a lower cost than any other transportation. The total length of waterways of this
county is 9833 kilometers and from them, 5400 km is usable all the time.
2. Bring alluvium to soil: The River brings alluvium which makes our lands fertile. In the time of flood, the
river carries those. It enhances the vitality of our land and increases production. So, rivers help us to ensure
food security.
3. Fisheries: Our rivers are full of fishes. From ancient times, the main food of Bangladesh is fish and rice.
So, fishes fill our demand for food. The fish Hilsha has a great demand for home and abroad. We also export
fishes to abroad and earn foreign currency.
4. Irrigation: Under irrigation projects, farmers use water from rivers for agricultural purposes. In winter,
there is hardly any rain here. So, irrigation is the only way of cultivation. The most important irrigation
projects are the Tista project on Rangpur, the Karnaphuli project on Chattogram, the Ganaga-kopotakkha
project, etc.
5. Hydroelectricity: There is a hydroelectricity project in Kaptai over the river Karnaphuli. It contributes to
our national electricity grid.
Although rivers have great economic importance, it has some side effects too. The poor people get helpless
in the time of the flood. Their life becomes lamentable. Flood hinders the production of crops. River erosion
makes people landless. We should have more and more research with rivers on flood, control, irrigation, and
hydroelectricity. We can use rivers to accelerate our economic development.