Shitalakshya River
The Shitalakshya River, also known as the Lakshymā River, is a 110-kilometer-long distributary of the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh. It starts in the eastern region, flows southwest and then east past Narayanganj, and finally joins the Dhaleshwari River near Kalagachhiya. Near Narayanganj it is about 300 meters wide, and its discharge has been measured at about 74 cubic meters per second. The river is navigable all year round.
It runs through Gazipur and Narayanganj districts, forming a border with Narsingdi for a stretch, and then continuing through the eastern part of Dhaka District before converging with the Dhaleshwari. The river’s maximum depth is around 21 meters and it averages about 10 meters deep.
Historically, the Shitalakshya was marked as the Lecki on old maps and was a fast, important river. Sonargaon—the region’s former capital—stood on its banks, and forts such as Isa Khan’s fort and Sonakanda Fort were built along its shores to defend against pirates. The river has long been a center of culture and industry, with mosques like Bandarshahi, Kadam Rasul, and Mariamer Masjid along its banks, and a tradition of muslin weaving.
Today, the area around the Shitalakshya hosts factories and power plants (including Palash and Siddhirganj) and a river port at Narayanganj. Launches operate from Narayanganj to many parts of Bangladesh. The government has approved plans for a container terminal with foreign investment. Pollution is a concern, as industrial waste is often dumped into the river untreated.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 00:50 (CET).