Location:

• Bangladesh is a
transition zone
between
Southwest and
Southeast Asia.
• Bengal forms the
capstone (wall)
of an arch (Vault)
formed by the
Bay of Bengal
• As the Tibetan
massif to the
north, it is a
comparatively
narrow land
bridge between
the subcontinent
of India and the
subcontinent of
Southeast Asia.
• Latitude: 20034’ N
- 26033’ N,
Longitude 88001’
E- and 92041' E.
Location:
It is bounded
by
………………..
on the west
(West Bengal),
on the north by
………………
and
……………,
and on the
north-east by
Tripura and
………………,
and it shares a
south-eastern
border with
…………………
(Burma). The
Bay of Bengal
is to the
Location:

North
West
Northeast

Southeast
South
Largest delta of the world

Some of the largest rivers in the world flow through the

country and form the largest delta in the world.
Topography of Bangladesh

• Topography is a configuration of a land surface

including its relief and contours, the distribution of
mountains and valleys, the patterns of rivers, and all
other natural features that produce the landscape.
There are three distinctive natural
features in Bangladesh:
1. a broad alluvial plain subject to frequent flooding
2. a slightly elevated relatively older plain
3. a small hill region drained by fast flowing rivers.
A Piedmont plain or Pleistocene
plain is a plain situated at the foot
of mountains or hills.
Swamps and
Marshes
Tertiary hills
• The hills in Bangladesh were formed at the
same time that the Himalayan mountains were
formed. Therefore, they are called Hills of
Tertiary Age.
The hilly areas
of the south-
eastern region
of Chittagong,
the north-
eastern hills of
Sylhet and the
highlands in
the north and
northwest are
included in this
region.
Characteristics of Tertiary Hills:
Relief:
1. low hills and high hills
2. steep slopes greater than 40%, often
100%
3. subject to landslide / erosion
4. Steeply to narrow ridges/average 36m
wide / hog back ridges (a long hill or
mountain ridge with steep sides.)
5. parallel ridges / running approx N–S
6. high hills heights 300–1000m above sea
level
7. low hills less than 300m above sea level
8. valleys approx. run N–S
9. hot springs [at Sitakunda Peak]
10.Keokaradang 1,230 m/ highest peak /
other peak named e.g. Saka-Haphong
(1,185 m)
Characteristics of Tertiary Hills:
• Rock types:
• shales/siltstones/sandstone
• Soil:
• brownish loam
• very acidic
• Climate:
• Tropical monsoon / heavy rain
• Drainage:
• trellis/dendritic drainage
• major rivers drain into the Bay of Bengal
• Karnafuli, Sangu, Matamuhuri and Feni rivers
• Lakes:
• Rainkhiangkine, Bagakine, Kaptai
• Vegetation:
• forested
• 700 species of flowering plants
• Animal life:
• snakes / monkeys / jungle cats / wild boar /
 Uplands/Pleistocene
Terrace

The Pleistocene
Terrace is a
bench-like
structure
bordering an
undersea feature.
These types of
terraces were
formed by the
flood of snow-melt
water during the
Pleistocene
epoch/era about
25,000 years ago.

These terraces
are slightly
elevated from the
adjacent active
floodplains.

The sediments of
these terraces are
deeply weathered
and strongly
Uplands/Pleistocene Terrace
• Pleistocene
uplands,compris
ing the Barind
Tract, the
Madhupur Tract
and the Tippera
Surface, form
three individual
blocks in
Bangladesh.
Pleistocene
uplands cover
an area of about
10% of
Bangladesh,
with an average
elevation of
more than 15m
above mean sea
level (MSL).
Uplands/Pleistocene Terrace
• The Pleistocene Terrace is a bench-like structure
bordering an undersea feature. These types of terraces
were formed by the flood of snow-melt water during the
Pleistocene epoch about 25,000 years ago. These
terraces are slightly elevated from the adjacent active
floodplains.
• The sediments of these terraces are deeply weathered and strongly
oxidized.
• Pleistocene uplands, comprising the Barind Tract, the
Madhupur Tract and the Tippera Surface, form three
individual blocks in Bangladesh. Pleistocene uplands cover
an area of about 10% of Bangladesh, with an average
elevation of more than 15m above mean sea level (MSL).
• Barind Tract: comprises mid and lower western part of
Rajshahi division, between the Ganges and Brahmaputra.
In the south, the Barind Tract is an older Pleistocene
Terrace forming a small plateau with a flat or, in some
sectors, a slightly undulating surface. This terrace consists
of reddish and yellowish and partially mottled clays and is
characterised by a dendritic drainage pattern.
Figure 1:3 Dendritic drainage patterns
• Madhupur Tract: Another Pleistocene upland block in
the Bengal Basin, it is located in the central part of
Bangladesh comprising greater Dhaka and Mymensingh
districts, between the courses of the Old Brahmaputra
and the Jamuna rivers. Like the Barind Tract it consists
mainly of red coloured and mottled clays. The valleys,
mostly flat, are cultivated. The Madhupur jungle
contains Shal trees (Shorea robusta).
•
• Tippera Surface: The area between the Meghna
floodplain in the west and the Tripura hills in the east
was uplifted in early recent times. This area of Lalmai
terrace consists of red, mottled and has a dendritic
drainage pattern. The surface is slightly undulating,
except the Lalmai hills, with heights ranging from 6 to
50m above sea level.
Recent Floodplain
• Around 90% of BD is covered by floodplains
• Floodplains are formed by different rivers of the country
• It is a very important type of landscape in the country in the
context of agriculture and culture
• Most of the fertile, cultivable lands belong to this physiographic
region, and the culture of the country is very much influenced
by the landscape.
• The floodplains of Bangladesh have been divided into 15 sub-
units:
Old Himalayan Piedmont Plain(24)
• Piedmont: a gentle slope leading from the foot of mountains to a
region of flat land
• This is the gently sloping land at the foot of hills, formed with
alluvial sediments deposited by rivers or streams. A portion of
the Old Himalayan Piedmont Plain stretches into Bangladesh at
the north-western corner of the country. This occupies most of
the Dinajpur region.
Old Himalayan Piedmont Plain:
• This region is covered by Piedmont sands and
gravels, which were deposited as alluvial fans of the
Mahananda and Karatoya rivers.
Tista Floodplain (28)
• This is a big sub-region stretching between the Old Himalayan
Piedmont Plain in the west and the right bank of the north-south flowing
Brahmaputra is in the east of Tista Floodplain. Most of the land is
shallowly flooded during monsoons.

Entrance
R

L
Old Brahmaputra Floodplain (23)
• The Old Brahmaputra floodplain stretches from the south-
western corner of the Garo Hills, along the eastern rim (outer
edge) of the Madhupur Tract, down to the Meghna.

Garo Hill Madhupur

Tract
Old Brahmaputra Floodplain (23)
• It exhibits a gentle morphology (particular structure)
composed of broad ridges and depressions. The latter
(last parts) are usually flooded to a depth of more than
one meter, whereas the ridges are subject to shallow
flooding only in the monsoon season.
Jamuna (Young Brahmaputra) Floodplain(29)
• The right-bank of the Jamuna (once a part of the Tista floodplain) is part
of the bigger floodplain. Several distributaries of the Jamuna flow through
the left-bank floodplain.
Meghna Floodplain:
•4 sub-
regions:
•Middle Meghna
floodplain (19)
•Lower Meghna
floodplain (16)
•Old Meghna
Estuarine
floodplain (25)
•Young Meghna
Estuarine
Floodplain (30)
Middle Meghna Floodplain:
• Location:
• The main
channel of the
Meghna
upstream
(moving or situated in
the opposite direction
from that in which a
stream or river flows)

from its
junction with
the
Dhaleshwari
and Ganges
as far as
Bhairab Bazar
is known as
Middle
Meghna.
Middle Meghna Floodplain:
• The floodplain
of this river
occupies a low-
lying landscape
of broad
islands and
many broad
meandering
channels.
 Lower Meghna Floodplain

• Location: Southward from the junction of the Meghna and

Ganges
• The sediments on the left bank of the lower Meghna comprise
mixed alluvial from the Ganges, Jamuna and Meghna
• These deposits are predominantly silt
• This floodplain area has a slightly irregular ridge and basin
relief, but also has large mounds (hill) used for settlement and
cultivation.
 Old Meghna Estuarine Floodplain

• Estuarine= the wide part of a river at the place where it

joins the sea
• The landscape in this extensive unit is quite different from
that on the river and tidal floodplains.
• The relief is almost level, with little difference in elevation
between ridges and basins.
 Young Meghna Estuarine Floodplain

• This sub-unit occupies almost the level land within and

adjoining the Meghna estuary
• It includes both island and mainland areas. New
deposition and erosion are constantly taking place on
the margins, continuously altering the shape of the
land areas.
The Ganges River Floodplain (2)
• Comprises
the active
floodplain of
the Ganges
and the
adjoining
meander
floodplain.
The latter
mainly
comprises a
smooth
landscape
of ridges,
basins and
old
channels
The Ganges River Floodplain (2)
• The relief is
locally
irregular
alongside
the present
and former
river
courses,
especially in
the west,
comprising a
rapidly
alternating
series of
linear low
ridges and
depressions.
The Ganges River Floodplain (2)
• The Ganges
channel is
constantly
shifting
within its
active
floodplain,
eroding and
depositing
large areas
of new
char(river
islands) land
each flood
season, but
it is less
braided than
that of the
Brahmaputra
-Jamuna.
ain4ds5
Questions:

1. Use Fig. 1.1 to describe the location of hill areas in

Bangladesh.
2. What are the main physical characteristics of the
hill areas of Bangladesh?
1. Use Fig. 1.1 to describe the location of hill areas
in Bangladesh.
• SE / Chittagong division / Bandarban hill district / Rangamati /
Khagrachhari NE / Sylhet division East on own = 1
2. What are the main physical characteristics
of the hill areas of Bangladesh?
Relief:
• low hills and high hills
• steep slopes / slopes > 40%, often 100%
• subject to landslide / erosion
• long / narrow ridges/average 36m wide / hog back
ridges
• parallel ridges / ridges approx N–S
• high hills heights 300–1000m above sea level
• low hills <300m above sea level
• valleys approx. run N–S
• hot springs [at Sitakunda Peak]
• Keokaradang 1,230 m/ high peak / other named peak
e.g. Sak-Haphong
• Rock types:
• shales/siltstones/sandstone
• Soil:
• brownish loam
• very acidic
• Climate:
• Tropical monsoon / heavy rain
• Drainage:
• trellis/dendritic drainage
• major rivers drain into the Bay of Bengal
• Karnafuli, Sangu, Matamuhuri and Feni rivers
• Lakes:
• Rainkhiangkine, Bagakine, Kaptai
• Vegetation:
• forested
• 700 species of flowering plants
• Animal life:
• snakes / monkeys / jungle cats / wild boar / foxes / abundant
birdlife