The names of rivers in Bangladesh can be confusing, for the same stream of water has more than one name at various points of its journey in to the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh often seems to have more inland water than land and people, which may not be such a bad thing in a world starved of fresh water. Indeed, paddy rice, fish, and jute, all of which are integral to Bangladesh, depend heavily on the system of rivers. Water transport is also an important sector in the Bangladesh economy. But we still have to ask the question: are the rivers of Bangladesh a blessing or a curse.