PADMA RIVER

main channel of the Ganges River below its bifurcation into the Bhagirathi and Padma rivers in extreme western Bangladesh. Flowing southeastward, the Padma receives the mighty Jamuna (Brahmaputra) River near Rajbari and then continues southeastward through central Bangladesh to join the Meghna River through a channel 2 miles (3 km) wide, known as the Kirtimasa. The combined streams continue south as the Meghna before entering the Bay of Bengal. The Padma is navigable for its entire 190-mile (300-kilometre) course by river steamer. Its main tributary is the Mahananda; its principal distributary is the Madhumati.