| Karnaphuli River | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Aerial view of the Karnaphuli River estuary | |
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| Location | |
| Countries | India andBangladesh |
| Cities | Chittagong |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Saithah,Mizoram, India |
| Mouth | |
• location | Bay of Bengal |
| Length | 270 km (170 mi) |
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TheKarnaphuli River (Bengali:কর্ণফুলিKôrnophuli; also speltKarnafuli[1] andKhawthlangtuipui[2] inMizo, meaning "western river" andBorgang inChakma, meaning "Big River") is the largest and most important river inChittagong and theChittagong Hill Tracts. It is a 667-metre (2,188 ft) wide river in the south-eastern part ofBangladesh. Originating from the Saithah village ofMamit district in Mizoram, India, it flows 270 kilometres (170 mi) southwest through Chattogram Hill Tracts and Chattogram into theBay of Bengal. It is the fastest flowing river in Bangladesh, after thePadma. It is said to "represent the drainage system of the whole south-western part of Mizoram."[3] Principal tributaries include theKawrpui River or Thega River,Tuichawng River andPhairuang River. A largehydroelectric power plant was built on the Karnaphuli in theKaptai region in the 1960s. The mouth of the river hosts thePort of Chattogram, the largest and busiest seaport of Bangladesh.
The presence of Arab traders and merchants in thehistory of Chittagong led to many areas in Chittagong to have names ofArabic origin. The name of this river is thought to have come fromqarnaful, the Arabic word forclove, and refers to an incident in which an Arab ship full of cloves sank in this river.[4]
Chittagong is situated on the banks of the Karnaphuli River between theChittagong Hill Tracts and theBay of Bengal. The city is a noteworthy seaside seaport city and monetary focus in southeastern Bangladesh. The Chittagong Metropolitan Area has a populace of more than 8.9 million,[5] making it the second biggest city in Bangladesh. It is the capital of an eponymous locale and division. A water treatment plant has been set up byChittagong Port Authority to source water from the Karnaphuli river for its uses. The plant will make the port self-reliant in its water needs.[6]
Tlabung is situated on the banks of the Karnaphuli River inLunglei district, Mizoram. Karnaphuli River links Mizoram with the port cit ofChittagong on the shores ofBay of Bengal. British Troops and missionaries used this route to reach Mizoram during the Colonial days. It used to take 5 days to reach from Chittagong to Tlabung on a motorboat, a distance of about 90 kilometers, after which they would travel another 35 kilometers to reachLunglei.[7]
The government had awarded a contract to build a two laneKarnaphuli tunnel underneath the Karnaphuli river toChina Communication Construction Company (CCCC). This is the first underwater tunnel in Bangladesh. CCCC received $706 million for its services, with total costs expected to be over $1 billion.[8]
TheKaptai Dam is the location of the Karnafuli Hydroelectric Power Station, constructed in Kaptai in 1962 and the onlyhydroelectric power plant in the country. An earth-filled dam on the Karnaphuli River, the Kaptai Dam, created theKaptai Lake, which acts as the water reservoir for the hydropower station. The power plant produces a total of 230 megawatts of electricity. When then east Pakistan built the dam, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru didn't object even though it resulted in part of Indian side getting submerged and inflow of more than 40000 refugees.[9]
Like many rivers in Bangladesh, Karnaphuli is heavily polluted by agricultural runoff. Reducing the amount of oxygen available and harming aquatic life in the river.[10] In 2015, a train carrying oil crashed over a tributary of the river. The spill causedenvironmental degradation.[11]
The river is home to theGanges river dolphin, which is an endangered species.[12]Hilsa used to be common in the river, but have nearly disappeared from the river due to pollution.[10]
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