In his eighth book on Bangladesh’s physical environment and agriculture, the author draws together his long experience in surveying, observing and studying the country’s physical geography and provides a revised map of the country’s physiographic regions. He draws attention to the interrelationship between geomorphology and soils, and to the country’s dynamic geomorphology, particularly changes in river courses and the impacts of earthquakes. Chapters 1−6 give a comprehensive description of Bangladesh’s geology, geomorphology, climate, hydrology and soils. They provide the background for the detailed descriptions of the 18 physiographic regions in Chapter 7−24. A novel feature is a concluding section in each of the latter chapters suggesting further studies that could be undertaken to provide more detailed information on each region’s geomorphological development. Chapter 25 compares the units shown on the geological map of Bangladesh and those on the physiographic map in this book. Differences in interpretation of the field evidence are discussed, especially in relation to the origin of the Madhupur Clay and the soils formed over it. The book is aimed at geographers, geomorphologists, soil scientists and environmentalists – professionals, academics and students – as well as government and aid-donor officials who need to be aware of the great regional diversity, local complexity and dynamism of Bangladesh’s physical environment.

Contents

Part 1.  Bangladesh’s Physical Environment

 Ch. 1    Introduction

 Ch. 2    Geology

 Ch. 3   Geomorphology

Ch.  4   Climate

Ch.  5   Hydrology

Ch.  6   Soils

Part 2.  Physiographic Regions and subregions

Ch.  1   Old Himalayan Piedmont Plain (A)

Ch.  2   Tista Alluvial Fan (B)

Ch.  3   Brahmaputra-Jamuna Floodplains (C)

Ch.  4   Ganges River Floodplain (D)

Ch.  5   Ganges Tidal Floodplain (E)

Ch.  6   Old Floodplain Basins(F)

Ch.  7   Surma-Kusiyara Floodplain (G)

Ch.  8   Middle Meghna River Floodplain (H)

Ch.  9   Lower Meghna River Floodplain (I)

Ch.  10  Meghna Estuarine Floodplain (J)

Ch. 11  Northern and Eastern Piedmont Plains (K)

Ch. 12  Chittagong Coastal Plains (L)

Ch. 13  St Martin’s Island (M)

Ch. 14  Madhupur Tract (N)

Ch. 15  Barind Tract (O)

Ch. 16  Akhaura Terrace (P)

Ch. 17  Lalmai Hills (Q)

Ch. 18  Northern and Eastern Hills (R)

Part 3. Comparison of Geological and Physiographic Maps of Bangladesh

Ch. 1 Differences and Discrepancies Between the Geological and Physiographic

Maps of Bangladesh