It is the eastern and main distributary of the Ganges, flowing generally southeast for 356 kilometres (221 mi) to its confluence with the Meghna River near the Bay of Bengal.

It flows dividing the Rajshahi and Murshidabad District of West Bengal and created a natural river border between India and Bangladesh.

The flow reduction caused many problems in Bangladesh, including the loss of fish species, the drying of Padma's distributaries, increased saltwater intrusion from the Bay of Bengal, and damage to the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans.

[10] It was supposed to be open to the public in 2013 but the project's future became uncertain when in June 2012 the World Bank cancelled its $1.2 billion loan over allegations of corruption.

[11] In June 2014, the government of Bangladesh, proceeding without the loan and hired a Chinese firm to construct the 6.15-kilometre (3.82 mi) main part of the bridge.