Dhaka Division, Bangladeshi

Regional Level Types
Dhaka Division	Division
Bangladesh	Country

Dhaka Division is an administrative division in central Bangladesh, covering approximately 20,500 km² following the creation of Mymensingh Division in 2015. It is bordered by Mymensingh Division to the north, Sylhet Division to the north-east, Chattogram Division to the east and south-east, Barisal Division to the south, and Khulna and Rajshahi Divisions to the west. The divisional capital is Dhaka, the national capital and one of the most densely populated metropolitan regions in the world.

Geographically, Dhaka Division lies entirely within the lower Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna delta, forming part of the extensive Bengal Basin. The landscape is extremely low-lying, with most elevations only a few metres above sea level. The division is traversed by a dense and dynamic river network, including the Padma (Ganges), Jamuna (Brahmaputra), Meghna, Dhaleshwari, Shitalakshya, and Buriganga rivers. Seasonal flooding, riverbank erosion, channel migration, and rapid sediment deposition are dominant geomorphic processes and have strongly influenced settlement patterns, agriculture, and infrastructure.

Geologically, Dhaka Division is underlain almost entirely by thick Quaternary alluvial sediments, consisting of unconsolidated sands, silts, clays, peat layers, and organic-rich floodplain deposits. These sediments have been deposited by migrating river systems over the last several hundred thousand years and locally exceed several hundred metres in thickness. At greater depth, they overlie Tertiary sedimentary sequences of the Bengal Basin. Bedrock is not exposed anywhere within the division. The region is affected by slow tectonic subsidence and lies close to major structural boundaries associated with the Indo-Burman Fold Belt, contributing to seismic risk despite the absence of surface faulting.

Dhaka Division has very limited mineral resources in the conventional sense. Extraction is almost entirely focused on construction and industrial materials, including sand, clay, and silt, used extensively for brickmaking, concrete, land reclamation, and infrastructure development. The division is underlain by some of Bangladesh’s most important groundwater aquifer systems, which supply domestic, agricultural, and industrial water. These aquifers are geologically young and highly productive but face challenges from over-extraction and arsenic contamination, making hydrogeology a critical concern.

Historically, the region has been a major centre of settlement due to its fertile soils, navigable waterways, and strategic position within the delta. Dhaka rose to prominence during the Mughal period as a provincial capital, later becoming an administrative centre under British India. In the 20th century it served as the capital of East Pakistan, and since 1971 it has been the capital of independent Bangladesh. Rapid urbanisation in recent decades has profoundly transformed the landscape.

Administratively, Dhaka Division is subdivided into districts (zilas). Its geology and geography—defined by deltaic sedimentation, river dynamics, and groundwater systems—make it a key region for understanding large river deltas, floodplain evolution, and the environmental and geological challenges associated with extreme population density in low-lying tropical regions.

Fossils

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Other Databases

Wikipedia:	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhaka_Division
Wikidata ID:	Q330158
GeoNames ID:	1337179

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