page_title: Shitalakshya River
section_title: Change in course of rivers
hierarchical_section_title: Shitalakshya River / Change in course of rivers
caption_attribution_description: This is one of the earliest published maps of Bengal. This early map is, however, an inaccurate depiction. The map was published in 1660.
context_page_description: Shitalakshya River is a distributary of the Brahmaputra. In its initial stages it flows in a southwest direction and then east of the city of Narayanganj in central Bangladesh until it merges with the Dhaleswari near Kalagachhiya. A portion of its upper course is known as Banar River. The river is about 110 kilometres long and at it widest, near Narayanganj, it is 300 metres across. Its flow, measured at Demra, has reached 74 cubic metres per second. It remains navigable year round. The river flows through Gazipur district forming its border with Narsingdi for some distance and then through Narayanganj District.
  The river's maximum depth is 21 metres and average depth is 10 metres.
context_section_description: The Shitalakhya is a branch of the Brahmaputra which has changed its course at least twice in the Bangladesh region in the fairly recent past, indirectly affecting the flow of water in the Shitalakhya. In the 21st century, the main flow of the Brahmaputra waters is through the Jamuna channel. Earlier, after tracing a curve round the Garo Hills on the west, it took a sharp turn in the south-east direction near Dewanganj, and then passing by Jamalpur and Mymensingh, threw off the Shitalakhya branch and flowed through the eastern part of Dhaka district and fell into the Dhaleshwari. The Shitalakhya ran almost parallel to the Brahmaputra and after passing by Narayanganj joined the Dhaleswari. The course of the Brahmaputra through Dhaka district was deserted by the 18th century when it flowed further east and joined the Meghna near Bhairab. Towards the end of the 18th century the Jamuna channel increased its importance and around 1850 it became the main channel of the Brahmaputra.
  In Van den Brouck's map the river is marked as Lecki, flowing west of Barrempooter (Brahmaputra). In Van den Brouck's time (1660), it was large and swift flowing river. It was so till the early 19th century. There, however, are some reservations about the accuracy of Van den Brouck's map.
caption: Van den Brouck's map of 1660
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