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Why is the combined Ganges and Brahmaputra channel called the Padma River in Bangladesh?

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Map showing the course of the Brahmaputra River as it flows from southwestern China through northeastern India and into Bangladesh, with surrounding countries including Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Afghanistan labeled. The river's path is highlighted in blue, and major international boundaries are marked. — Brahmaputra River Brahmaputra River.

In Bangladesh, the Ganges River is locally known as the Padma River. When the Ganges flows southeastward through central Bangladesh, it receives the Jamuna River—which is the name given to the Brahmaputra River within Bangladesh.123

Because the Ganges is already referred to as the Padma before this confluence, the combined stream formed by the union of the Ganges and the Jamuna continues to be called the Padma. This combined channel flows southeast until it joins the Meghna River near Chandpur before eventually emptying into the Bay of Bengal.1234