Bangladesh has a good relationship with floods. Almost every year during monsoon, due to heavy rainfall and few other reasons floods occur in Bangladesh. But what is the reason behind them?
Geographical Location and Condition: Bangladesh, the largest Delta of the world, is situated on the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta. Many other Rivers and tributaries are flowing into the Bay of Bengal. The flooding results with the outburst of riverbanks of Bangladesh are common and severely affect the landscape and Bangladeshi society.
Climate: Bangladesh falls under tropical monsoon climate zone and is one of the wettest in the world. Around 1,525 mm of rain is observed in a year, and areas near the hills observe around 5,080 mm. Most rains occur during the monsoon (June-September) and little in winter (November-February). This heavy rainfall twins with "Farakka Dam" on the Ganges causes the flood to occur almost every year.
Controlling the normal flow of the Ganges: The Ganges got the birth from the Himalayas and crossed India and Bangladesh towards the Bay of Bengal. India is controlling the regular flow of the Ganges. During drought they are not allowing a normal water flow of the Ganges towards Bangladesh using "Farakka Dam". As a result the Padma (Bangladesh portion of the Ganges) losses its regular flow or current causing mud to fall on its route to lessen the depth of the Padma. Now during the rainy season with the massive increase of water level in the Ganges India must release a high volume of water through 'Farakka Dam' causing the Padma to overflow. Bangladesh Inundates under water.
Increase in world temperature: There are a lot of reasons causing world temperature going high. This influences the ice to melt and the sea level to increase. The Himalayas doing the same and causing the water level of the Ganges go higher and inundates portion of Bangladesh almost every year.
Deforestation: Deforestation in the Himalayas is aggravating floods in Bangladesh, India and Nepal. When the Himalayas were covered in woods the case of heavy floods was seen twice in a century in Bangladesh. With the deforestation in the Himalayas the average became once in four years.
o 19th century: Six major floods- 1842, 1858, 1871, 1875, 1885 o 20th century: Eighteen major floods- 1987, 1988, and 1995 were of catastrophic consequence.
For the reference I want to provide here some headlines of several medias about flood in Bangladesh.
o ''Bangladesh in grave danger: deforestation in Himalayas aggravating floods.'' (Bangladesh Observer, 2 June 1990) o ''When the Himalayas were covered in trees, Bangladesh suffered a major flood about twice a century; one every four years is now the average.'' (UNEP 1992) o ''The severe floods in eastern India and Bangladesh are not the result of a natural disaster, but of a ruthless exploitation of wood which has been practiced over centuries in the forests of the Himalayas.'' (Basler Zeitung, 15 September 1998)
So these are the most effective reasons that causing flood in Bangladesh.
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