SURMA BASIN

Study Area
The name of the investigated area is SURMA BASIN and it is located in the Northeastern-most
part of Bangladesh and forms a portion of the late to post-geosynclinals Bengal Basin.
The study area is belongs to the Kanaighat Thana in Sylhet district, Bangladesh.
Surma Basin occupies the prime gas producing province of Bangladesh. The River Surma, the
right bank tributary of the Barak originating from Manipur and Mizoram of India, passes along
Sylhet town and joins the kushiyara west of Baniachong. Surma Basin has an area of about
1,00,000 sq km occupying the northeastern part of  bengal basin that subsided mainly between
Oligocene and Pliocene times.  Dauki Fault of regional extent passing all along the northern part
of Surma Valley south of Shillong Massif is the most important tectonic element, which drove
down the Archean basement to about 18 km in the Surma valley. Structurally Surma Basin has
been formed due to simultaneous interaction of the two major tectonic elements- the rising
Shillong Massif in the north and westward moving Indo-Burman mobile fold belt on
Burmese Plate.
Among the other structures of the Surma Basin Bhuban sediments are exposed and Bibiana is
covered with Recent and Sub-Recent Holocene deposits.
 Figure-1: Geological map of Surma Basin.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Geological-map-of-Surma-Basin-Sylhet-Bangladesh-Showing-the-
location-of-Fenchuganj-Gas_fig4_271646277
 Figure-2: Tectonic map of Bangladesh and adjoining areas.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Tectonic-map-of-Bangladesh_fig1_268391538
 Figure-3: Surma-Meghna river system.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-spatial-domain-for-testing-forecasting-skill-of-JASON-2-
altimetry-inside-Bangladesh_fig1_260518800
Climate and weather:
Bangaldesh lies under the hot and humid climate condition. Here have six season but we find
mainly four season. Surma Basin is situated northeastern part of Bangladesh. Our study place is
mixed with hilly region with flat areas. Shillong Massif stand north of our study area.So this
climate is control by this plate. Because of geological condition, Surma Basin falls under the
tropical to sub-tropical climate. The area is very much susceptible to heavy monsoonal rainfall
causing the periodic flood in the plains.
The climate of the area can be divided into three distinct season in a year they are summer,
monsoon and winter. The average range of annual temperature, humidity and rainfall of the area
ranges from 90℉-65℉

Figure-5:Climate map of Bangladesh

https://www.thebangladesh.net/climate-map-of-bangladesh.html
Bangladesh is called the land of rivers or the Gift Rivers. Almost 300 rivers criss-crossed the
country.  The rainfall pattern of northeastern part of Bangladesh is changing along with the
discharge pattern of Surma River.As with rainfall, the river discharges show moderate year to
year variations that are related to the variability in rainfall. the rainfall in Sylhet has been reduced
from the time 1973 to 2016 which directly affects the discharge of Surma River. this result might
be the indication about the effect of climatic change in the local as well as global level.

Figure-4:Surma river
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40068-019-0156-y/figures/1
Vegetation in Surma Basin:
Soil of this area is mainly sandy. Soils of the area are gray silty clay loams(fig-5) and clay looms
on higher parts of that dry out seasonally and gray clays in the wet basin.
Thick vegetation characterizes this hilly area. Different types of trees can be found in this area.
Though rice is the principle crop of the area but bamboos are very common. The floodplain lands
and low lying area used for paddy cultivation(fig-6). Tea is very important cash crop of this area
and a series of tea gardens(fig-7) are situated in the hillocks and valleys from Jaflong to
Afifanager. Various types of seasonal vegetables are also cultivated in this region.