The river Bishkhali flows through the southernmost district of Bangladesh, Barguna. There are prosperous settlements on both banks around this river. Therefore, this river is significant in this region.
The Bishkhali River is mainly a river of Jhalokati and Barguna districts in the southwestern part of Bangladesh. The length of the river is 105 kilometers, the average width is 760 meters, and the nature of the river is serpentine.
The Bishkhali River originates from the Sugandha River, flowing in the Gabkhan Dhansiri Union area of Jhalokati district. Then the watercourse of this river crosses Rajapur, Kanthalia, and Betagi upazilas of Barguna and flows to Patharghata Union of Patharghata upazila of Barguna district and falls into the Bay of Bengal. The downstream side of the river is wider than the upstream side. Water flow is observed in the river throughout the year, and many small and large vessels ply. However, during the rainy season, the water flow in the river increases more than usual. At that time, the riverbanks were flooded with floodwater. The river is affected by the influence of the tides.
At one time, the Bishkhali River was a very fast-flowing river. Now it is less fast-flowing. The average width of the first 30 km of its course is 1 km. The average width of the next 66 km of this river is about 2 km. Its average depth is 16 meters. The water of the Madhumati and Kacha rivers flows into the Bishkhali River through the Kaukhali and Gabkhan canals. Tidal currents are active in this river. As it meets the sea, the water remains quite salty for half of the length of the river. The two tributaries of Bishkhali are Khagdon river and Badankhali Canal.
Bishkhali is prone to erosion, and due to its erosion, several areas, including Barguna Sadar, Patharghata, and Betagi, are being affected. The char formation process is active in various parts of the river. Some chars are inhabited and cultivated.
