Near the border with Bangladesh the Farakka Barrage controls the flow of the Ganges by diverting some of the water into a feeder canal which has link with the Hooghly river to keep it relatively silt-free . Near the border with Bangladesh the Farakka Barrage , built in 1974 , controls the flow of the Ganges , diverting some of the water into a feeder canal linking the Hooghly to keep it relatively silt-free .