‘Rice river canals – these are the three Barisal’, this is an old saying. Greater Barisal is surrounded by many rivers. If you travel two and a half hours by river from Barisal towards Bhola, you will come across eight rivers.
After finishing my work on Sunday, I ran to the pier and bought a ticket. I boarded the MV Beauty of Ima Express launch. The purpose was to go from Barisal to Bhola. I was very hungry, so I ate at the rice restaurant on the launch. The launch left at 1:30 PM. When I went behind the second floor, I saw a big blue sky above my head.
Kirtankhola River is all around. Nature surrounds it with greenery. Before 1801, this river was called Barisal River, Sugandha River. It starts from Shayestabad in Barisal and ends near Nalchiti in Jhalakathi. Kirtankhola originates from the ancient Padma stream.
After about two and a half kilometers, the launch turns right into the Bukhainagar River. On the left side of this river is Charmonai and on the right is Kauar Char. Greenery on both sides. It seems to have become even more refreshing after being wet in the monsoon. Hogla forest, almond, raintree, palm, tamal, shirish, Kalakhet, Dhanchekhet, jute field, betel barrage, fish farm, amaranth orchard. Colorful dates on the date palms. The houses and buildings facing erosion seem to have moved closer to the river. The former wetlands are becoming cultivated land and settlements day by day. The number of ferry crossings has increased. This 12-kilometer launch from Charmonai to Laharhat Bukhainagar River moves a little slowly. Although launches often get stuck in this river in winter, now the water is overflowing the banks during heavy rains.
Laharhat Launch Ghat is at the confluence of the Bukhainagar and Bighai rivers. H. Beverage wrote in his book ‘District of Bakerganj’, ‘The Barisal River is a continuation of the Bighai River.’ It is in the riverbed, flowing southwards through Mirzaganj in Patuakhali and Gulishakhali in Amtali in Barguna. The Bighai merges with the Kalabadr, Tentulia and Ganeshpura rivers past Laharhat.
Hundreds of buffalo herds and waterfowl line the riverbanks.Photo: Prothom Alo
When the launch anchors at Laharhat Ghat and heads back towards Bhola, one sees a vast char area on the right side of the Bighai River on the east bank of Bukhainagar. Hundreds of fishermen have anchored their boats along its banks. They are busy cooking lunch in their boats. Fishermen’s boats are sailing from one river to another, this is the meeting point of many rivers. Hundreds of buffalo herds and waterfowl are scattered along the banks of the river.
Our launch is moving towards Sripur, after Sripur, Veduria ferry ghat, then Veduria launch ghat. After Veduria, Bhola Kheyaghat. Once, the launch from Kheyaghat used to go to Bhola city up to Kashishwar Bridge. Now, to save time, passengers go down to Bhedariya launch ghat. They go down to Bhola city by car. There is a river with each ghat. The launch from Sripur to Veduria will run on the waters of the Tentulia River. To go to Kheyaghat, the Jangalia River. To go to Bhola city, the Betua River, which has now become the ‘Bhola Canal’, is the one and only river. Even if you go to Bhola city by car, you have to climb over the bridges built over these two rivers. On the Bhola-Barisal waterway, there is only river and river.
The distance from Laharhat Launch Ghat to Sreepur Launch Ghat is about 6 kilometers. And it is about 10 kilometers to Bheduriya. Within these 6 kilometers, the once-flowing rivers Kalabadar, Ganeshpura and Tentulia rivers merge with the Bighai River; that is, this is the meeting point of four rivers.
The sun has started to set in the west. The sunlight is glistening on the river water. The waterway is now busy with passenger launches, speedboats and ferries. Among them are fishing boats. Due to the busy waterway, almost all the fishermen’s nets get caught in the propellers of the boats. Still, they fish and sell fresh fish to speedboat and launch passengers.
The waterway is busy with passenger launches, speedboats, and ferries.Photo: Prothom Alo
The Tentulia River is a stream of the lower Meghna River. It flows from the Meghna River north of Bhola to the west of Bhola, east of Barisal-Patuakhali, and falls into the Bay of Bengal at Rangopaldi in Galachipa Upazila of Patuakhali as Buragorang. Its length is about 84 kilometers. It is mentioned in history that this river has destroyed the kingdoms of many kings, subjects, and landlords of Barisal, Bhola, and Patuakhali. The zamindari of these kings is being broken and is rising again in the void. Watermelon, capsicum, and vegetables are being cultivated there. Buffaloes and cows are grazing in the pastures. When winter comes, a migratory bird fair is held in some pastures.
Source: Prothom Alo
