Water level in 16 rivers including the Teesta, Brahmaputra, Dharla, Dudhkumor, Phulkumor, Gangadhar, Kalzani and Zinziram flowing in the districts have declined significantly in recent years.
Most of the parts of the rivers have dried up which have turned into canals in the current dry season.
Water vehicle movements and agriculture are being hampered seriously.
Many chars have developed which turned into a sandy desert.
The river routes of Jatrapur under Kurigram Sadar upazila, Roumari and Rajibpur upazila are at stake. Navigability has fallen drastically in the areas.
Meanwhile, several river routes have been closed, local sources said.
Environmentalists say the reduced flows are linked to climate change and will have a major impact as the human population grows.
Abdul Gafur, chairman of Jatrapur union council, said: " Water vehicle movements and agriculture are being hampered seriously as the Brahmaputra and Dudhkumor rivers run dry in the area."
Saheb Mia of Kumurpur area said: "The Nilkumar river bed in the area has turned into cropland as there is no water."
Char Livelihood Programme activist Manik Chowdhury said: "The rivers entered Bangladesh from India. Nowadays the low water-flow of such affects the navigability badly."
"The vast tracts of rivers are sandy and it could not be identified as big rivers," an inhabitant of the Dharla river bank said.
The people of char area are crossing the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla and Dudkumer on foot.
The people of the Brahmaputra river side are crossing the river on foot at Hatea point daily as it has dried up.
Local people are crossing the Teesta river on foot from one place to another in Rajarhat and Ulipur upazila. Such dried-up rivers impact the bio-diversity every year.
A boat trader of Rajibpur upazila, said that his two boats were abandoned at present due to the drastic fall of water level in the Brahmaputra River.
Executive Engineer of Kurigram Water Development Board Abu Taher said: " To solve the problem, dredging in the rivers is needed."
