Nal

Nal land type occupying a position immediately below the kanda (levee). It is also called daha in jessore and kushtia regions. In topographic sequence, on the basis of flooding depths, nals may have two different levels; majhari (medium) or tan, and nama (low). A simple comparison of local and national land level classes is shown in the following table Local land levels and corresponding land types of national standard.

Local land levels Local broad groups Land type (nationally used) Characteristics of land type
Bhita (uchu) --- High Above normal flood level
Kanda Taner jami Medium high Maximum depth of flooding normally less than 91 cm
Nal (majhari) --- Medium ---
Nama (nichu) --- Medium low Maximum depth of flooding normally between 91 and182 cm
Khila (biler kachra) Biler jami Low Maximum depth of flooding normally more than 182 cm
Petty (biler kachra) --- Very low Deeply flooded during monsoon, depth of water exceeds 3m
Tali (biler nama) --- --- ---

These local terminologies of land levels are used in the Old Brahmaputra and Meghna basin areas. Based on the table above, it appears that nal (majhari) belongs to the broad category of taner jami and is represented by medium high to medium lowland, with a maximum normal flooding depth not exceeding 182 cm. [Mohd Shamsul Alam]