Just as rivers play a major role in geology, they have also played an important role in the evolution of human civilization. Ports, urban markets, etc. have sprung up on the banks of many rivers in this riverine Bangladesh, which has developed into a natural beauty.

From time immemorial rivers have flowed over Gaibandha district like Brakshaputra M Karatoya, Teesta, Ghaghat, Manas, Bangali etc. These rivers are of immense importance in the socio-economic activities of the district including land formation, settlement, crop production, waterway communication, trade and commerce and development of its own culture.

In a survey of 1809, Mr. Buchanan, Hamilton, while describing the rivers and canals of Etadanchar, noted that the map of Bangladesh drawn by James Rennell in 183, which contains the description of the rivers and canals, is difficult to trace at present. The course of the river has changed and the abandoned course has been filled and the traces of the old river have been erased. Again the flow of the same river is known by different names in different places. He gives details of the main streams, tributaries and tributaries of Brakshaputra, Teesta, Karatoya and small streams. The total area of ​​the rivers flowing over Gaibandha is 107.61 km. The following is a brief description of these rivers and canals:

Brahmaputra: Brahmaputra is one of the largest and longest rivers in the world. Sampo in Tibet, Brahmaputra after Dihang in Assam. After the confluence of the Teesta river in Gaibandha district, the same river named the Jamuna below the Brahmaputra and Fulchhari ghats and joined the Padma near Goalland.

The Brahmaputra River originates from the Chemayangdung Glacier near the Manas Lake in Tibet. Another name for Tibet is Sangpo or Sanpo. The river of this name flows northeast along the foothills of the Himalayas. After seeing a gap in the Himalayas at a place called Sadia, the river went down to the Indian state of Assam. In the Assam Valley, first the river Dihang and later the Brahmaputra flow westwards. After flowing for 624 km, the river enters Bangladesh through a place called Mayali in Narayanpur Union of Nageshwari Police Station, Kurigram District, with a bend to the south near Garo Hills. From here the river flows southwards through the southern part of Chilmari police station and enters Haripur union of Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha district and flows south and the river enters Bogra district through Naldia village of Haldia union of Saghata police station. South of Gaibandha's Fulchhari Ghatetm, this river bears the name Konai Jamuna or Jamuna, crosses the boundaries of Bogra, Sirajganj, Jamalpur and Tangail districts and joins the Padma river near Goalanda. From the festival to the end, this river is 2638 km, of which 26 km is part of Bangladesh.

Karatoya: Karatoya is an ancient river. This huge and fast flowing river of ancient times marked the boundary between the land of Mantasya (Barind land and the pragmatic (Kamrup) kingdom of King Bhagadatta). Ancient villages, towns, Bandarganj etc. , Bogdaha civilization, notable places including Panchanagari The famous Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang who encountered the huge Kalutu river near Paundravardhan (Mahasthan) during his travels to Kamrup in the 7th century, Ikhtiyar Uddin Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khalji The Ka-Lu-Tu and Begwati rivers were the ancient Karatoya rivers.

Karatoya originates from the foothills of the Himalayas north of the Bhutan border, enters Bangladesh through a place called Vitgarh in Panchagarh district through Darjeeling Jalpaiguri district, enters Gaibandha district near Ghoraghat via Dinajpur district and flows west through Gebindganj thana to Shivganj in Pabna in Bogra. But in the severe flood of 18, Karatoya changed its previous course and took 4/5 km north of Katakhali in Gobindaganj police station and proceeded eastwards. In the river. The Fuljhora River flows into the Hura Sea in the mountains and at the end the Hura Sea meets the Jamuna. It is to be noted that the Karatoya at Katakhali, which leads eastwards, was a small branch of the Karatoya from the far east. সাবেক The former section of Karatoya dried up and filled up in the first half of the nineteenth century, which is now seen as a small ditch on the west side of the Upazila Parishad.

In 1852, the government took initiative to revive the former section of Surrey Karatoyar. The land of Karatoya was excavated and dams were constructed to divert its flow. To cover this cost, tolls were levied on boats and vehicles passing through Karatoya from 1857 onwards. When the attempt to change the speed of Karatoya failed, the toll collection order was revoked in 185. It seems that the name of the river Karatoya in the north of Gobindaganj has been changed to Katakhali due to the excavation of Karatoya and the attempt to cut the canal and change its speed.

Niharanjan Roy, in his Bengali History of the Early Episode, says that the Karatoya is the oldest and main river in North Bengal. But at present numerous abandoned sections of this river are found. The Karatoya River flowing over Gaibandha is seen in the form of a small ditch south of Syedpur in Nilphamari district. It flows to the south, joins Deonai Charalkata river near Badarganj railway station, flows south to Karatoya and enters Gobindaganj.

এ. Its next course of action has already been described.

Teesta: The Himalayas originate from the two mountain streams of Lachen and Lachung, the hilly region of Sikkim. Known as Rangu in the Teesta hills. In its course, various streams called Rang Nichuk, Dikchu, Talangchu, Chakunchu have joined the Teesta. In the Jalpaiguri district, the Lish, Sish, Chel and Nengra mountain streams below the Sibak are connected with the Teesta. The river flows through Sikkim, Dajingling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar and enters Bangladesh through the village of Chhatnai in Dimla police station in Nilphamari district. The river Teesta passes through Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, enters the Sundarpurganj upazila of Gaibandha district, Tarapur union and flows a few kilometers through the northeast of the upazila and joins the Brahmaputra river near Bangla Bazar in Haripur union.

In ancient times, the current of the Teesta was divided into three types: (1) the eastern branch Karatoya, (2) the central branch Atrai and (3) the western branch Purnabhaba It is believed that the name Trisrota or Teesta originated from these three streams. The Teesta has followed these three sectors at different times in the past due to different hydrological and techniques. Until 18, the river Teesta merged with Atrai near Dinajpur and fell into the lower Ganges river. The other tributaries of the Teesta were Karatoya and connected with the Brahmaputra in the Ganges. Dharla originates from the river Teesta in the lower Himalayan foothills and joins the Brahmaputra at Kurigram. Another important river Ghaghat originates from Teesta and flows through Rangpur district and joins Gaibandha at Karatoya. Atrai at that time maintained connection with Karatoya and Ganges. (Jhadhhudhash 198)

On a map drawn by Rennell in 183, the main flow of the Teesta can be seen flowing from Atrai. In addition, an insignificant tributary called the Teesta Creek connected the Teesta with the Brahmaputra. At different times the land movement caused the Barind land to rise a little and the old course of the Teesta narrowed. Atrai Punabhava Karatoya river loses its water holding capacity due to accumulation of sand and silt. As a result of the severe floods of 18 AD, the vast body of water of the Teesta did not flow in the old sector but flowed in the Ghaghat and Manas rivers for some time. (Majumdar 1942, Rashid 1991) However, as the two tributaries did not have the capacity to carry huge amount of water due to floods, the Teesta shortened its flow to the present day and flowed through the Teesta Creek channel and fell into the Brahmaputra. While the Teesta flows through Gaibandha district with a small portion to the north, its tributaries Karatoya, Ghaghat, Manas, Gazaria are flowing over the district and have played an important role in land formation.

Rivers of Gaibandha district

Ghaghat: Ghaghat has been an important river since ancient times. Former district headquarters Rangpur and Gaibandha district headquarters have been formed on its banks.

Ghaghat is a tributary of the Teesta. The river originates in Kujipara village of Kishoreganj police station in Nilphamari district. From the place of origin, it crosses the western boundary of Gangachara police station, crosses Rangpur Sadar police station, enters Pirgachha police station, enters Alaipuri river and enters Gaibandha district near Rasulpur of Sadulapur upazila. Then it flows south, flows through Kholahati union of Sadar upazila, enters Ghaghat Gaibandha town, turns right on the east side of the town and flows south.

In 1908, the Ghaghat river was connected to Mara Manas by digging a three mile long canal from Godarhat village to Baguria. This stream crosses the Rasulpur Sluich Gate and falls into the Brahmaputra River.

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The Brahmaputra floods in 1954 also caused extensive damage in the Gaibandha region. Along with the lowlands, the entire town of Gaibandha was submerged by a few feet.

The district was also hit by massive floods in 1974 and 1978.

In 1974, almost the whole of Bangladesh including Kurigram-Gaibandha was flooded. Massive loss of life and property, loss of crops, shortage of food items led to famine in the country.

In 197-197, the whole of Bangladesh including Gahbandha was hit by floods. This caused extensive damage to the entire Zola. Part of the Brahmaputra Defense Dam, including the sluice gate near Rasulpur, broke in a particularly strong current. The Gaibandha municipal area has also been flooded. The district has been protected from frequent floods by building dams.

In 1995, there was a massive flood in Gobindaganj upazila in the western part of the district. As the western part of this upazila is relatively high, flood water never rises here. But due to the sudden rise of Karatoya river, the area on both its banks was flooded. The mud house collapsed. The country's communication with Rangpur and Dinajpur was cut off at that time when two bridges were broken due to heavy floods. At present, to protect the Ghaghat river from erosion and flooding, dilapidated river ditches and defense dams have been constructed on the north side of Gaibandha town.