| The Padma River পদ্মা নদী | |
| Image Alt: | Padma River in Bangladesh |
| Source1 Location: | Bifurcation of the Ganges at Giria, India, and The Gangotri Glacier in the middle of Himalayans |
| Map: | Padma River map.jpg |
| Mouth Location: | Lower Meghna |
| Subdivision Type1: | Countries |
| Subdivision Name1: | Bangladesh, India |
| Subdivision Type2: | Districts |
| Subdivision Name2: | India: MurshidabadBangladesh: |
| Length: | 356km (221miles)[1] |
| Discharge1 Avg: | (Period: 1971–2000)34938.1m3/s[2] |
| Discharge1 Max: | During monsoon season 750000m3/s |
| Discharge1 Min: | During dry season 15000m3/s |
| Basin Size: | 1487657.3km2 |
| River System: | Ganges River |
| Bridges: | Padma Bridge Lalon Shah Bridge Hardinge Bridge |
The Padma (bn|পদ্মা|Pôdmā) is a major river in Bangladesh. It is the eastern and main distributary of the Ganges, flowing generally southeast for 356km (221miles) to its confluence with the Meghna River, near the Bay of Bengal. The city of Rajshahi is situated on the banks of the river.[3] Since 1966, over 66,000 hectares of land have been lost to erosion of the Padma.[4]
The Padma, Sanskrit for lotus flower, is mentioned in ancient Hindu scripts as a byname for the Goddess Lakshmi.[5] There is also a narration of Lakshmi’s connection to this river told in the Tripura Rahasya.
Eighteenth-century geographer James Rennell referred to a former course of the Ganges north of its present channel, as follows:
See main article: Jalangi River. Murshidabad District is situated on the western bank of the Padma. It flows dividing the Rajshahi and Murshidabad District of West Bengal and created a natural river border between India and Bangladesh.[6] [7] The Jalangi area of the district was seriously affected by river bank erosion of the Padma.[8]
After the construction of the Farakka Barrage on the Ganges River in West Bengal, the maximum flows in the Padma River were reduced significantly. The flow reduction caused many problems in Bangladesh, including the loss of fish species, the drying of the Padma's distributaries, increased saltwater intrusion from the Bay of Bengal, and damage to the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans.[9]
thumb|The Padma Bridge is Bangladesh's largest bridge and cost an estimated US$3 billion to complete. It was inaugurated on the 25th of June 2022.[10] It was supposed to be open to the public in 2013, but the project's future became uncertain when, in June 2012, the World Bank cancelled its $1.2 billion loan over allegations of corruption.[11] In June 2014, the government of Bangladesh, proceeded without the loan and hired a Chinese firm to construct the 6.15km (03.82miles) main part of the bridge. In October 2014, it hired a South Korean firm to supervise construction, with the aim of finishing the project by 2018.[12] The final (41st) span of the bridge was installed on the 10th of December 2020.[13] [14] The last road slab was installed on the span that linked pillars 12 and 13 of the Padma bridge on the 24th of August 2021.[15] [16] In 2009, government plans also included rail lines on both sides of the Padma with a connection via the new bridge.[17]
The Lalon Shah Bridge and Hardinge Bridge also crosses the Padma further upstream.
