Chitra River originating from the lower part of Chuadanga and Darsana, it runs about 170 km southeast through Darsana, Kaliganj, Jessore, Salikha and Kalia upazilas and joins with the nabaganga in Gazirhat of Narail district. Afterwards the joint flow falls into the bhairab river in Daulatpur upazila of Khulna district. In the past, the Chitra was an offshoot of the ichamati, but it turned into a distributary of the Nabaganga due to siltation at its mouth.

The river is heavily silted up and not navigable from its original point to Salikha. From Salikha to Gazirhat, it is under tidal influence and the range of the tide is about one metre. The river is navigable and a launch route from Khulna runs along its course. An embankment along its left bank from Rathdanga to Gazirhat has been constructed under a flood control drainage and irrigation projects. The river does not show any tendency to erode or overflow its banks. It is straight in its course except for some meanders in Salikha upazila. Kaliganj, Salikha, Narail and Gazirhat are some important places situated on the banks of the Chitra.

[Sultana Nasrin Baby]

See map in ganges-padma river system.