According to the latest data from the Ministry of Water Resources, Bangladesh currently has 1,294 rivers. Just last December, the government prepared a draft list based on information from district administrations, which mentioned 1,156 rivers. After three months of in-depth research, the number has increased by 138. However, experts who have been studying rivers for years argue that the actual number exceeds 2,000. The official count does not include rivers from the Sundarbans, Barind region, or the three hill districts, leaving out more than 500 rivers from the draft list.
Bangladesh is a riverine country, with countless rivers flowing like a vast network. However, due to unplanned urbanization and infrastructure development, many rivers have disappeared from the map over the past few decades. Others have fallen victim to encroachment.
The debate over the number of rivers has been ongoing for years. The figures from the River Research Institute (RRI), the National River Conservation Commission (NRCC), and the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) have often been inconsistent. To address these discrepancies, all agencies finally came together to compile a unified list under an interim government initiative.
Last Thursday (March 27), the government published a draft list of 1,294 rivers on the Ministry of Water Resources’ website. It has invited feedback from river experts and the general public to determine if any adjustments are needed. The final list is set to be released on April 14.
However, analysts believe the government is rushing the process, which could result in many rivers being left out. Encroachers might exploit this opportunity.
Mahbub Siddiqui, a researcher on rivers and nature, was involved in compiling the list. As the president of ‘Heritage Rajshahi,’ an organization focused on Rajshahi’s history and heritage, he pointed out a major issue: many officials working on the river count are unaware of what qualifies as a river.
“In Rajshahi, we have several water bodies that are larger than canals but smaller than rivers. Locally, these are called ‘khari.’ Since they have continuous flow, they should be included in the river list, but authorities are refusing to do so. As a result, 50 such ‘khari’ in the Barind region have been excluded,” he said.
He also noted that some rivers dry up for most of the year, and district authorities are unwilling to list them. “At least 200 such rivers are missing from the list. Additionally, 227 rivers flowing inside the Sundarbans have not been included because officials claim they couldn’t physically verify them due to the forest’s dense terrain. Similarly, at least 200 rivers from the three hill districts have also been left out.”
Mahbub Siddiqui estimates that the total number of flowing rivers in Bangladesh exceeds 2,000. “I’ve been studying rivers for 30 years. Our research has identified 1,908 rivers so far. The three districts in the Chittagong Hill Tracts have yet to be properly surveyed. Once their rivers are counted, the total will surpass 2,000,” he added.
Researchers believe the government is rushing to finalize the official count of Bangladesh’s rivers. “It would take at least two years to determine the actual number of rivers,” said researcher Mahbub Siddiqui. “The government is doing this too quickly just to earn praise, but instead, it will face severe criticism—and they don’t even realize it.”
The National River Conservation Commission (NRCC) started compiling a list of rivers in 2019 to determine the exact number. After nearly four years of work, a draft list of 907 rivers was published on its website in August 2023. However, river researchers immediately raised concerns, arguing that the NRCC’s numbers did not match data from other government and non-government agencies. In response, the commission invited public feedback, and after reviewing the objections, the number was revised to 1,008 rivers. Even then, experts continued to disagree with the findings, but despite these objections, the NRCC finalized the list.
River researcher and activist Tuhin Wadud believes district administrators are deliberately leaving many rivers off the list. “Right now (yesterday afternoon), I’m standing by a river called Shalimar, about 100 kilometers from Rangpur,” he told Bonik Barta. “I first read about this river in a poem. When I came here, I saw that three-quarters of it had already been leased out by the district administration, effectively handing over ownership to private individuals. Now, in official records, it’s labeled as a canal. I requested that it be added to the river list, but officials told me it can’t be included since people already ‘own’ it. The reality is, no one can change the map—it clearly shows where rivers exist. But those responsible for compiling this list aren’t interested in fieldwork. There are over 300 rivers in Rangpur, yet the official list only includes 278. The rest have been ignored.”
Researchers argue that the government is relying too much on district administrations, which they believe are intentionally underreporting the number of rivers. The reason is said to be that the number of rivers increases, so does the responsibility for their maintenance. In many cases, rivers have been leased out for other uses, effectively erasing them from official records.
Md Monir Hossain, chairman of Bangladesh River Foundation, warned that inaccurate data would make river management even more difficult. He told Bonik Barta. “Most rivers are already on the brink of extinction due to encroachment and pollution. Many have turned into dumping grounds, while others have completely disappeared. Without an accurate count, it will be nearly impossible to reclaim encroached rivers. To do that, we need to physically verify where each river originates and ends. We also need to map their natural flow to understand the extent of navigability issues.”
In the past, rivers were the primary transportation routes in many districts. However, due to declining water levels, many of these waterways are no longer navigable. Researchers believe that having an accurate count of rivers could help restore some of these lost water routes.
Meanwhile, Secretary to the Ministry of Water Resources Nazmul Ahsan defended the government’s approach, claiming that this time, the most reliable method is being used. He told Bonik Barta, “We have involved not just the district administrators and divisional commissioners but also local river activists in this process. The river count is being determined based on their recommendations. The list published on the website is still a draft. If anyone has feedback, we will review and incorporate it as needed. Plus, this list is not final. It’s an ongoing process. More names and information can be added in the future.”