Are Ghoria, Chandrabati rivers in Bogura really 'missing'?
According to the board, locals claim that no rivers by those names exist in the district
The Water Development Board, the agency responsible for protecting rivers, has officially declared two rivers in Bogura—the 29 km-long Ghoria and the 19.5 km-long Chandrabati—as "missing," raising serious concerns over river identification and possible encroachment in the region.
According to the board, locals claim that no rivers by those names exist in the district. "If anyone finds these rivers, they should inform us. We will then add them to our list," said Nazmul Haque, executive engineer at the Bogura Water Development Board.
However, historical records contradict this claim. A 2009 publication by the Bogura District Administration references the Chandrabati River in Dupchanchia upazila, while another publication, Nodnodir Nam (Names of Rivers in Bangladesh), lists the Ghoria River as flowing through Gabtali upazila.
Sources from the Water Development Board said that a special meeting was held on 25 September last year at the deputy commissioner's office to determine the number of rivers in the district and address illegal encroachments and pollution. After reviewing input from top officials, the meeting concluded that Bogura has 23 rivers, excluding Ghoria and Chandrabati.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Later, the Ministry of Water Resources asked the board to submit an official river list for the draft national inventory. The board submitted a list of 23 rivers, again omitting the Ghoria and Chandrabati.
However, a Water Development Board official said, "Both rivers had been included in earlier lists. Records from the National River Protection Commission also mention Ghoria and Chandrabati as rivers in Bogura."
On 13 February, the Ministry of Water Resources formed a five-member committee to re-verify rivers omitted from the official list. The committee was led by the executive engineer of the Bogura Water Development Board as convener. Its task was to verify, through field visits, official records, and practical evidence, whether two rivers in Bogura—Ghoria and Chandrabati actually exist.
The committee members included Md Asadul Haque, sub-divisional engineer of the Bogura Water Development Board; Prof Md Rezaun Nabi, former principal of Government Mujibur Rahman Mohila College; Abu Shahama, assistant commissioner at the District Administration Office; and Ziaur Rahman, general secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon Bogura chapter.
The investigation began on 14 February with visits to Nepaltoli in Gabtali upazila and Boria in Sariakandi upazila to search for the Ghoria River. On 16 February, the committee submitted a report to the divisional commissioner stating that locals in both areas denied the existence of such a river.
However, the committee suggested that a downstream part of the Ichamati River (reported by the Water Development Board to be 72km long) may sometimes be referred to as the Ghoria.
To locate the Chandrabati River, the committee visited Islampur and Choumohoni in Dupchanchia, where locals and a former Union Parishad chairman confirmed that no such river exists.
Instead, two rivers flow from Dupchanchia toward Adamdighi upazila— the Nagar River joins the Atrai River, and the Eramoti River flows into the Raktadaha wetland.
The committee concluded that neither the Ghoria nor Chandrabati Rivers exist today, finalising Bogura's river count at 23.
Despite the committee's conclusion, previous official documents offer detailed accounts of the rivers. In 2009, the Bogura District Administration published a book called Dhunat theke Dupchanchia: Oitijjho-Samriddho Jonopod (From Dhunat to Dupchanchia: A Heritage-Rich Region). In the chapter "Rivers of Bogura District," Prof Md Abu Hanif Sheikh and Prof Md Mokhlesur Rahman mentioned the Chandrabati River.
According to their description, the river begins in the Gunahar union, about 4–5 km west of the Dupchanchia police station. It flows through Nasarat in Adamdighi upazila and joins the Atrai River near Raninagar police station in Naogaon district. The river is about 10–12 miles long. Despite this detailed information in an official book, the investigation committee did not consider it.
River researcher Mahbub Siddiqui claims that Bogura has at least 29 rivers, including Ghoria. "The Ghoria starts from the Ichamati River in Gabtali and flows into the Bangali River. This river is listed as number 246 in Rivers of Bangladesh, published by the National River Protection Commission," he said, adding that vested interests may be behind the river omissions.
A former executive engineer of the Bogura Water Development Board stressed that cadastral survey maps are more reliable than local opinion for identifying rivers. "Old land records can confirm a river's historical presence. Declaring rivers as 'missing' only aids powerful interests in land grabbing," he warned.
River researcher and director of Riverine People, Prof Tuhin Wadud of Begum Rokeya University, expressed grave concern. "Rivers don't disappear on their own. Many were never officially listed. Sadly, some agencies tasked with protecting rivers are now enabling their destruction. The government must ensure a true and transparent river count for the public," he said.
