S. M. Al-Fahad

As Bangladesh enters another monsoon season, millions of people in the northeastern haor basin brace themselves. From the highland flash floods of Meghalaya to the steady flow of the Old Brahmaputra and Kushiyara rivers, the delicate dance between rivers and haors is not just about water—it's about life, food, fish, and fragile futures.The haor ecosystem, often described as Bangladesh’s inland seas, stretches across the floodplains of Sunamganj, Sylhet, Habiganj, Maulvibazar, Netrakona, Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria. These bowl-shaped wetlands are directly linked to the rivers that feed and drain them, creating one of the most unique and productive floodplain wetland systems in the world.

Rivers Feed the Haors—And the Nation

During monsoon, rivers like the Surma and Kushiyara overflow and pour into the haors, submerging the lowlands. This flooding is not a disaster—it's a design of nature. The sediment-rich water rejuvenates soils, refills aquifers, and turns these depressions into shallow inland lakes brimming with aquatic life.But come winter, these waters recede, leaving behind fertile plains for boro rice farming and fish-rich beels that sustain both biodiversity and local livelihoods.

Fish on the Move: A Natural Highway

The rivers and haors together form a natural migratory route for fish. Indigenous species such as boal, rui, and tengra migrate into the haors for spawning during the rainy season. The floodplains act as nurseries for juvenile fish, which later return to rivers.In fact, nearly 20% of Bangladesh’s inland capture fish production comes from haor zones, according to the Department of Fisheries.But disruptions—like siltation, poorly planned embankments, and blocked canals—are choking this highway. The result? Declining fish stocks and growing pressure on rural fishers already battling poverty and environmental change.

Tanguar Haor: A Case in Point

Designated as a Ramsar site, Tanguar Haor is home to over 140 fish species, migratory birds, and unique wetland plants. It receives water from the Jadukata and Patnai rivers, linking it directly to upstream rainfall in India.

Yet, years of sand mining, reduced dry season flow, and illegal encroachments have thrown this balance off track. More than 40,000 locals rely on this ecosystem for fishing, rice cultivation, and grazing."The river used to bring life. Now, it brings uncertainty," says Jamir Uddin, a local fisherman from Tahirpur.

Early Floods, Late Realization

The biggest threat in recent years? Early flash floods. In 2017 and 2022, sudden surges of rain in Indian Meghalaya devastated standing boro crops in haor areas just before harvest. The rivers swelled overnight, and haors—unprepared—drowned. According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board, the water-holding capacity of many haors has declined by 30% in just two decades due to sedimentation and loss of depth.

Why This Matters for the Whole Country

Haor and river ecosystems are not isolated. They are natural flood regulators for the Meghna Basin, breeding grounds for fish that feed millions, and carbon sinks vital in the fight against climate change.More importantly, they are home—to fishers, farmers, and fragile cultures shaped by water and time.

What Needs to Change

Experts urge an integrated river basin management (IRBM) approach. This includes: Dredging riverbeds to restore natural depth, Ensuring fish migration corridors remain open, Building community-based flood warning systems, Coordinating water release and rainfall data with India. Projects like India's Loktak Lake management (in Manipur) show that such systems can be revived through policy, planning, and local participation.

The haors may appear silent, but they speak volumes when we listen. The murmur of rivers flowing in, the splash of spawning fish, the cry of migratory birds, and the silent prayers of farmers watching the sky—they all remind us that this ecosystem is alive.Protecting the haor-river interaction is not an environmental luxury. It’s an economic necessity, a cultural responsibility, and an ecological imperative.

The author is writer, former president, River Defenders Club (BRF-RDC),postgraduate student, Haor and Char Development Institute (HCDI),Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU)