St. Martin's Island

St. Martin's Island is a small island in the northheast part of the Bay of Bengal, about 9 km south of the tip of the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf peninsula, and forming the southernmost part of Bangladesh. It is not a coral island in Bangladesh. It is about 8 km west of the northwest coast of Myanmar at the mouth of the Naf River. The local name of the island is "Narical Gingira", also spelled "Narikel Janjina/Jinjera", translated from Bangla, meaning 'Coconut Island'.

St. Martin's Island has become a popular tourist spot. Currently, three shipping liners run daily trips to the island, including Sea-Truck and Keary-Sindbad. Tourists can book their trip either from Chittagong or from Cox's Bazar. The surrounding coral reef of the island has an extension named Chera Dwip.

In the past 5 years St. Martin's visitor population has increased dramatically. While this situation has proven to be lucrative for the islanders, it is causing the natural beauty of the island to deteriorate. Presently there are many efforts being put forth to preserve the several endagered species of turtles that nest on the island, as well as the corals, some of which are found only on Narikel Jinjera. Pieces of the coral reef are being removed in order to be sold to tourists. Nesting turtles are sometimes taken for food, and their hatchlings are often distracted by the twinkling lights along the beach. Species of fish, a few just recently discovered, are being overfished. Every year the fishermen must venture further out to sea to get their catch. Most of them use motorless boats.

At high tide the island is about 3 miles around, and pinched in the middle. The island exists only because of its coral base, so removal of that coral risks erosion of the beaches. St. Martins has lost roughly 25% of its coral reef in the past 7 years.

Kaptai Lake

Kaptai Lake  the largest man-made freshwater body in Bangladesh. Though created primarily for hydroelectric power generation, it contributes to produce significant quantity of freshwater fishes, navigation, flood control and agriculture, etc. The reservoir was created by damming the river karnafuli near kaptai town in the chittagong hill tracts (Latitude 22º09´N and Longitude 92º17´E). The lake is confined within the hill district rangamati and embraces the upazilas of Rangamati Sadar, Kaptai, Nannerchar, Langadu, Baghaichhari, Barkal, Juraichhari and Belaichhari.

The 'H'-shaped Kaptai Lake has two arms, joined by a narrow gorge near Shubalong, a part of the old Karnafuli river. Kasalong, the right arm of the lake, is fed by two streams, the Mayni and the kasalong, in the north and laterally by the Karnafuli. The left arm, Rangamati-Kaptai is fed by two streams, the Chengi in the north and the Rinkhyong in the south. The Karnafuli forms three prominent loops one at Rangamati, one at Dhuliachhari and the other at Kaptai. The Rangamati and the Dhuliachhari loops are now under the reservoir of the earth-filled dam. The Kaptai Lake has drowned almost the whole of the middle-Karnafuli valley and the lower reaches of the Chengi, Kasalong and Rinkhyong rivers. The shoreline and the basin of Kaptai Lake are very irregular. Its important morphometric and hydrographic features are as follows: surface elevation 31.1m, surface area 58,300 ha, volume 524,700 cu m, total annual discharge 1,707,000 cu m, storage ratio 0.31, mean depth 9m, maximum depth 32m, outlet depth 15.5m, mean annual water level fluctuation 8.14m, growing season 365 days, total dissolved solids 76 ppm and specific conductance 144 µmhos at 25ºC.

Kaptai Lake, Chittagong Hill Tracts

Geologically, the lower part of Kaptai Lake, in and around the Kaptai-Rangamati region (ie Kaptai Syncline), is composed mainly of yellowish brown, fine to medium grained, massive to cross-bedded sandstone with alternating shale and silty shale (Tipam Sandstone Formation) and the upper part is featured by yellowish brown, fine to medium grained, subangular to sub-rounded, moderately to poorly sorted, massive to thick-bedded and occasionally cross-bedded sandstone with quartz granules, pebbles, clay galls and contains well preserved leaf impressions (Dupi Tila Formation). However, around Shubalong and Barkal, the lake mainly comprises Bhuban formation. As the local people remove the protective vegetation around the lake, these rocks are exposed to the monsoon rains and thus eroded easily. This results in landslides, and the loose rock material is washed down the slopes and carried by rivers into the lake. As a result, the lake is silting up rapidly. By the early 1990s, in its 30-year existence, it had already lost about 25% of its volume due to siltation.

Apart from generation of hydroelectricity, the lake has become an important resource for some other considerations. It has created a diversified and long waterway. Many places that used to take a day or even more to reach have now become an hour's trip by speedboat or launch. It has become much easier to exploit forest resources that had earlier been inaccessible. The whole lake is now a great tourist attraction. The lake's contribution to the development of agriculture and fishery is significant. Since the water level of the lake is maintained at different heights in different months of the year, the lakeshores are under an automatic irrigation system and are very fertile. People practice controlled farming in about 6,075 ha of land on leasehold basis through agreements with the local government.

The estimated life of the lake is 90 years, at the end of which its bed is expected to be fully covered by silt. Meanwhile, the lake continues to serve as a valuable reservoir for hatchery and fish production as well. Fish produced in the lake meets local demand and is also supplied to Dhaka and other parts of the country. The average annual production of fish is more than 7,000 tons. However, turbidity is high during the monsoon, which inhibits plankton production. The runoff carries a high nutrient load, and as the water clears, production intensifies. Blue-green and green algae, and diatoms dominate the phytoplankton community, which are important food for clupeids and carps. The zooplankton population is dominated by the rotifers. Crops of other zooplankters are very low, a characteristic of most tropical waters. Benthic fauna predominantly includes the bloodworms (chironomids), bivalve molluscs, annelids and chaoborids.

The records of field observations of the Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation and Freshwater Research Sub-station and extensive ARG's (Aquatic Research Group) show that the landings of major carps decreased drastically in 1985 and cover the lowest in the history of Kaptai Lake fishery. It happened because of over-harvesting of carps. Present production of fish amounts to more than 100 kg/ha. Following the gradual decline in proportion of carps, production of pelagic clupeids has increased substantially, dominated by two species, Chapila (Gudusia chapra) and Keski (Corica soborna), now amounting to more than 50% of the total catch. An inventory of fish fauna indicated eight species Catla catla, Cirrhinus mrigala, Lebeo rohita, L. calbasu, L. goinus, Notopterus chitala, Wallago attu, and Gudusia chapra as having major commercial importance. Kaptai Lake has a vast aquaculture potential. Proper and adequate stocking, implementation of fishing regulations, introduction of improved management can make the lake more viable and long-sustained.

The ecological damage of the lake recently assessed shows that water pollution due to use of fertilisers and pesticides around the lake is affecting life in the water. In 1966, the share of big fishes in the total fish production was 78%, by 1993 it had come down to 2%. Also, more than five tons of human excrements and other wastes are reported to flow into the lake everyday. As 85% of the population living around the lake depends on the water for drinking, cooking, washing and bathing, health risks have increased sharply. Even the drinking water in Rangamati town supplied by the Public Health Engineering Department contained bacteria over 10 times of the acceptable number. The risk of malaria increased manifold with the huge body of stagnant and slow-moving water in the lake. The lake also created other adversaries. For example, the lake made it easier for many to illegally extract the forest resources, especially from places where communication was otherwise difficult, and this led to denuding of the reserve forest of 126.91 sq km and of khasland and hilltop forest of 606.06 sq km.

The Beautiful Himchari National Park

Bangladesh is not the only country to receive opprobrium from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, for its declining forest cover. Most countries of the third world face such conflicts between development and conservation. However, it is to the credit of the Bangladesh Government that it has committed itself to a National Forest Policy.

The Himchari National Park is a beautiful tropical rain forest, which is very near the town of Cox’s Bazar, and which is protected and maintained for the people of Bangladesh and for visitors from abroad as well. The park has high forest, low forest and grasslands with a few trees. Some of the grasslands may be areas which were encroached upon before the Park was fully regulated. Though the Bay of Bengal is not far away, Himchari does not have any inter-tidal habitats.

The Himchari Natural Park is a biologist’s delight! There are more than 50 species of trees, including Grewia microcos, Dipterocarpus turbinatus, Vitex pedurcularis, and Pterospermum acerifolium. The forest area has some twenty types of important herbs, amongst which Swintonia floribunda, Curculigo recurvata, and Alpinia nigra are most valuable.

Every bird watcher would love to visit the Himchari National Park, because more than 250 species can be sighted here. Hirundo rustica, Cypsiurrus parvus, and Acridotheres fuscus, are some of the common sightings which birders can notch up on their lists. The forest and the grasslands also support lizards and frogs in large numbers and variety. There are some herds of elephants and other wildlife as well in these tracks. The United States has an agreement with Bangladesh to try and induct tigers in to the forest areas. Leopards are in the forest area already. A waterfall is another attraction for tourists who may have only passing interests in the amazing array of flora and fauna on display.

Cox’s Bazar is a popular sea resort, and is connected by air from both Dhaka and Chittagong. Do plan a day for Himchari when you visit the area, and more time if you are a nature lover!

Chimbuk Hill

                                             Chimbuk Hill

About Chimbuk hill Chimbuk hill is the third highest mountain in Bangladesh. Chimbuk is one of the most familiar tourist spot in Bandarban. It is just 26 kilometer away from Bandarban sadar. Chimbuk hill is about 2500 feet high above sea level. The road of this area is zigzag. So if you ride in a jeep it will be charming. While your jeep is moving through the various indigenous villages, their simplicity in human gestures will compel you to think about our predecessors struggles to cope with to maintain existence. They are as simple as nature. However when you are looking down from Chimbuk, it will get you the feelings of floating over the clouds. When it is a shiny day, you can see the shades of clouds over the hills. The huge horizon of zigzag hills seem waves of a see. You will also see the beauty of Chimbuk and Nilgiri.

                                             Chimbuk Hill

Information for visitor

There are two government owned rest house in this area. You have to confirm the reservation from the authority, if you want to stay here. There is an well managed canteen in that place so you can easily take food or snacks here.

Chimbuk is 26 kilometer away from Bandarban sadar. Visitor can hire a private vehicle from Bandarban sadar or you can go there by Thanci bound bus or jeep.

Bandarban Hillside Resort

The Milonchori Hillside Resort is conveniently located only 4 kilometers from Bandarban town on Chimbuk road. It includes accommodation and restaurant facilities for local and foreign tourists who wish to relax, surrounded by natural beauty, enjoy walking or trekking and are interested in visiting different indigenous peoples in the vicinity. We provide rental services of vehicles for local movements. Our local guides are knowledgeable and will help make your excursions memorable. We have accommodation facilities for 50 persons in various categories, including air-conditioned cottages, tribal houses and dormitory. All cottages and houses have attached bathrooms, most cottages with running hot water. The restaurant “RESTORA RIGRRE KHYANG” is located near the entrance with a breathtaking view over the rolling hills and the river below. We cater to individuals and groups of up to 100 people, making it an ideal venue for big dinner parties, seminars, and training or workshop sessions. Travel Information How to get there: There are direct a/c and non a/c buses of different transport operators plying between Dhaka and Bandarban in the morning and late in the evening everyday. Other traveling options include traveling to Chittagong by bus, train or air. From Chittagong you can take a reserved transport to Bandarban. It will take about 3 hours to reach Bandarban. Suggested Activities / Destinations Trekking to the Sangu River To reach the Sangu River you venture on a short downhill hike. Returning to the Hillside Resort involves a physically exerting uphill climp of approximately two hours. You can opt for a local boat journey to Bandarban town and return to the resort by or reserved public or reserved transport. Shailapropat Waterfall & Bawm Village The scenic walk to the Shailapropat waterfall (4 km from Hillside Resort) along the local road takes one hour. You may wish to take a refreshing dip in the stream or chose to continue the walk to the nearby bawm village ‘Faruk para’, before returning on foot or with local or reserved transport. For all activities we strongly recommend the assistance of a local guide. This will enhance your experience and ensure your safety. Trekking Excursion to Hatibandha Hatibandha is a beautiful Tripura village situated in the valley close to our resort. The village can only be reached on foot. The short hike mostly follows a lovely stream, and includes some steep ascents. You will need 2-3 hours for this excursion. Excursion to Chimbuk & Murong Village Chimbuk, one of the highest points in Bangladesh accessible by road, is an hour drive from the resort. Visitors are rewarded with a stunning view. You can also have a glimpse of Bay of Bengal from the peak. The nearby Murong tribal village is in walking distance. The accompanying guide will introduce you to the lifestyle and traditions of the Murong people. Overnight Trip Bogalake Boga Lake is a wonderful natural lake known for its scenic beauty, 65km from Bandarban and 20 km from Ruma Thana. This overnight trip involves a two hour drive to Painkhyongchori, a boat journey to Ruma bazaar and a five hour trek to Boga Lake. Your local guide will arrange the overnight stay and all meals. You will need to carry a sleeping bag along with your essentials. Jadi Temple/ Golden Temple Perched on a hill top in Balaghata, a few kilometers out of town, is a large, glowing Buddhist temple. It is one of the most impressive structures in the country and is worth visiting. You are not allowed to enter the temple in shorts or with shoes on. There is also a pond on the hilltop called the “Debota Pukur” meaning pond of the God. Meghla Parjatan Complex: It is located 4 km from Bandarban town, on the Bandarban-Keranihaat road. A man-made lake has been created by building a dam. Meghla houses a children’s park, a mini zoo, two hanging bridges, and has boating facilities on the lake. Nilgiri: 47 km southeast from Bandarban town, on a hilltop 2200 feet above sea-level, is situated the Nilgiri resort. It is managed and administered by the armed forces. Often covered with clouds, this place provides a panoramic view of the landscape. Bijoy/ Tajingdong: The highest peak of Bangladesh Bijoy or locally called Tajingdong has a height of about 4500 ft. It is located in Ruma upazilla. During the dry season it is possible to drive near Tajingdong by motorized vehicle. Nilachol and Shuvranila: This place is often referred to as Darjeeling of Bangladesh. Nilachol tourist centre is located 4 km from Bandarban town in a place called Tiger Para. Prantik Lake: Almost 14 km from Bandarban town, in a village called Holudia on the Bandarban-Chittagong highway, is Prantik Lake; spread over 2500 acres of land. The lake is surrounded by various species of plants and trees. Rijuk Waterfall: On the way from Ruma to Thanchi by Shangu River you will see Ruma Jolpropat or Rijuk waterfall. You can either take an engine boat from Ruma to the waterfall or you may also go for a trekking from Ruma to Rijuk. For all activities we strongly recommend you to use the assistance of a local guide. This will enhance your experience and ensure your safety. When visiting our Resort and its surroundings, we request you to follow these rules: Respect the local traditions and social rules at all times. Never photograph people without their permission. Do not encourage the illegal wildlife trade by buying endangered animals or animal products. Do not litter. Do not disturbing the wildlife and refrain from picking flowers, plants or fruits. All foreign nationals traveling to the Hillside Resort in Bandarban need to inform the Deputy Commissioner and all the local security agencies prior to their arrival. The Guide Tours Ltd. service includes all the necessary paperwork for our international guests. We need a minimum of one week for processing permissions. The entire Chittagong Hill Tracts are malaria prone. We, therefore, strongly advise you to wear full sleeve, full pants and use insect repellent lotion, especially in the evening. During the rainy season leeches are common in this area. Suitable footwear and socks help avoid their bite.

Bandarban Golden Temple

The Buddha Dhatu Jadi also known as the Bandarban Golden Temple is located close to Balaghata town, in Bandarban City, in Bangladesh. Dhatu means material remains of a holy person and in this temple the relics belong to Buddha. It is the largest Theravada Buddhist Temple with the second largest Buddha statue in Bangladesh.

The Bandaban Golden Temple belongs to the Theravada Buddhism order, which is practiced by the Marma tribal people, a dominant ethnic group of Bandarban. It was built in 2000 in Arakanese architecture, an adoption of South East Asia style.

 Geography

Further information: Bandarban District

View of lush green Bandarban hills and valley

The Buddhist temple is known in local language as kyang. It is located in the remote Bandarban Hill District in South-Eastern Bangladesh, which is part of the Chittagong Division of Chittagong Hill Tracts. The temple is ensconced in the hill town of Bandarban, which has two of the highest peaks with rolling hills, namely, the Tajingdong (4,000 feet (1,200 m)) and the Keokeradong (4,632 feet (1,412 m)) covered with dense forests with lush vegetation. Sangu river flows through the town. There is also a waterfall nearby. The temple is built on top of a 60 metres (200 ft) high hill, which is about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the Balaghat town, and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the Banderban city. Chittagong, known as a "picturesque part of Bangladesh that is referred to as the rooftop of the country", is about 92 kilometres (57 mi) away. Within the Bandarban town, the notable structures are the Tribal Cultural Institute and a Museum. There is also a lake on the hill known as the Debota Pukur (meaning:"pond of the God").

 History

Further information: Buddhism in Bangladesh

Left: A close view of the Golden temple. Right: Ven. U Pannya Jota Thera founder and chief priest of the temple

Bandarban has a large ethnic population of Buddhists. Buddhism is practiced by a small percentage of 0.7 in Bangladesh which is predominantly an Islamic country. Buddhism is the third largest religion in Bangladesh and the practice is of Theravada Buddhism; most Buddhists are from the south-eastern district of Chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts.

In Bangladesh, the Theravada Buddhism, now practiced as "Sangharaj Nikaya", was introduced in the late 19th century, replacing many of the old forms of Buddhism practiced till then. The credit for this is given to Ven. Saramedha, known popularly as "Sangharaj".

The ethnic population of the town belongs mostly to Marma, a tribal group of the Chittagong hill region on the eastern end of the country, also known as Magh. They are of Arakan descent and Buddhists by religion, and are the second largest ethnic tribal group in the hill districts of Bangladesh.

Ven. U Pannya Jota Thera is the founder and chief priest of the temple. He belongs to Royal Bohmong family of Bandarban. He is a Theravada monk since 1991. He had served the Government of Bangladesh for 8 years as a Senior Assistant Judge. The Buddha’s Dhatu (relic), which is enshrined in the temple, was a gift given to Ven. U Pannya Jota Thera in 1994 by the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee of Myanmar.

Structure

Approached by an elegant stairway, the impressive temple built on the hill top is decorated with exquisite sculptural images. Apart from the second biggest Lord Buddha statue enshrined in the sanctum, there are smaller statues and a golden bell set on a dragon within the temple precincts. Construction of the temple was started in 1995 and completed in 2000. The dhatu, the corporeal relics of Buddha, has been enshrined here below four statues of Buddha. The dhatu is enshrined here, with the basic belief among Buddhists that it provides for peace of mind and happiness. The temple now forms a part of the Tourism Development Project of the 'Buddhist Circuit Tour' that is sponsored by the South Asia Sub regional Economic Cooperation.

A strict dress code of 'no shorts and no shoes' in temple precincts is followed here.

Shat Gambuj Mosque

In mid-15th century, a Muslim colony was founded in the inhospitable mangrove forest of the Sundarbans near the seacoast in the Bagerhat district by an obscure saint-General, named Ulugh Khan Jahan. He was the earliest torch bearer of Islam in the South who laid the nucleus of an affluent city during the reign of Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah (1442-59), then known as 'Khalifalabad' (present Bagerhat). Khan Jahan aborned his city with numerous mosques, tanks, roads and other public buildings, the spectacular ruins of which are focused around the most imposing and largest multidomed mosques in Bangladesh, known as the Shait-Gumbad Masjid (160'X108'). The stately fabric of the monument, serene and imposing, stands on the eastern bank of an unusually vast sweet-water tank, clustered around by the heavy foliage of a low-laying countryside, characteristic of a sea-coast landscape. So in the year 1459 the great Azam Ulugh Khan Jahan established this mosque, which called Shat Gambuj Mosjid. In Bengali Shat means the number 60. Though it is called Shat Gambuj Mosjid, actually the numbers of Gamboj in the mosque are 81. The mosque roofed over with 77 squat domes, including 7 chauchala or four-sided pitched Bengali domes in the middle row. The vast prayer hall, although provided with 11 arched doorways on east and 7 each on north and south for ventilation and light, presents a dark and somber appearance inside. It is divided into 7 longitudinal aisles and 11 deep bays by a forest of slender stone columns, from which springs rows of endless arches, supporting the domes. Six feet thick, slightly tapering walls and hollow and round, almost detached corner towers, resembling the bastions of fortress, each capped by small rounded cupolas, recall the Tughlaq architecture of Delhi.

The general appearance of this noble monument with its stark simplicity but massive character reflects the strength and simplicity of the builder. This mosque is 160 ft long and 108 ft. in its width. This is one of the most beautiful archeological and historical Mosque in Bangladesh made by red burn mud.

The archeological beauty of this Mosque enchants the tourist till now. Besides this Mosque an archeological museum is there where you can find that times archeological and historical materials.

Khagrachari

Khagrachari (Bengali: খাগড়াছড়ি) is a district in south-eastern Bangladesh. It is a part of the Chittagong Division and the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Its local name is "Chengmi". Khagrachari is also known as Phalang Htaung  or the Mong Circle (of the rest of the three hill districts Rangamati is the Chakma Circle  and Bandarban  is the Bohmong Circle).

Khagrachari town is the home town of the Mong Chief (currently King, or Raja, Saching Prue Chowdhury  who is the head of the Arakanese descendants living in the circle. It also is the administrative headquarter of Khagrachari district.

Contents 1 Geography 2 Subdivisions 3 Economy 4 Places of interest 4.1 Khagrachari’s attractive tourists’ spots 5 Religious composition (1991) 6 See also 7 References

Geography

Khagrachari is a valley. It has three river namely Chengi, Kasalong and Maini. Chengi is the longest river in Khagrachari. Most of the land of Khagrachari are hilly areas.

Subdivisions

Upazilas under this district are:

1. Dighinala Upazila
2. Khagrachhari Upazila
3. Lakshmichhari Upazila
4. Mahalchhari Upazila
5. Manikchhari Upazila
6. Matiranga Upazila
7. Panchhari Upazila
8. Ramgarh Upazila

Economy

Most of the people lives on Jhum cultivation.

Places of interest

Khagrachari’s attractive tourists’ spots

1. Alutila Tourists spot: Khagrachari – Chittagong Road, 5 Km away from the Parjatan motel. Local Buses or Chader gari, fare- 8/10 tk. Microbus can be rented as well.

2. Alutila Mysterious Cave: East of the Alutila Tourists’ spot under the mountain 150 meter long flowing natural waterfall. Chittagong Road, 5 Km shout from the motel. Local Buses or Chader gari, fare- 8/10 tk. Microbus can be rented as well.

3. Richhang waterfall: Khagrachari – Chittagong road the area of Hridoy member. 7 km shout from the Porjoton motel. 2 km shout from Alutila, 1.50 km from east from the main road. Local bus or Chader gari till Hridoy Member area. Rest 1.50 km by foot.

4. Hundred or more years old banyan tree: Hundred or more years old banyan tree which is spreading almost 2 acres. Till Matiranga 10 number region of Khagrachari- Chittagong Road Buses / chader gari. Fare 10/15 tk, and rest 1.5 km by foot or own vehicles.

5. Nunchhori Debota Pond: The Nunchhori Tripura Village is 13 km south from Porjoton motel, 4 km west from Maishkhali Army camp of Khagrachari – Rangamati road. From there almost 1500 feet above, at the peak of the Mountain is the Debota lake. Local bus or chader gari of Khagrachari – Rangamati Route till Maishchori Army camp. Rest of the 4-5 km by foot. If there is private car then it can go till the Tripura Village.

6. Yonged Buddha Bihar: At Khagrachari town, 2 km far from Motel. Accessible by rickshaw.

7. Panichari Brihot Buddha sculpture: Shantipur Arannya Kuthir - 25 km south from Khagrachari is peripheral region. The largest Buddha sculpture of Bangladesh is situated here. Khagrachari – Panichari Local bus fare- 35 tk. The road is flat.

8. Dighinala Manikker Dighi: One regional town situated 21 km south from Khagrachari. The Jhulonto Bridge, Buddha Bihar, Raja Manikker Dighi, Tribal culture, tradition and ancient standard of living. Khagrachari – Dighinala Bus/ 4 Wheel drive gyp.

9. Dighinala Touduchhori Waterfall: It contains wild Elephants roaming around in groups; the place is cluttered with enormous stones and waterfalls. From Khagrachari – Dighinala road Bus/ Chader gari (gyp), fares 25/40 tk. Rest of the road by foot. The communication here is not urbanized yet.

10. Shajek and Marissa Vally: Endless natural beauty of green Mound. It’s hard to describe in words. It’s better if a private or rented car is available.

Religious composition (1991)

Muslim - 53.45%, Buddhist - 48.51%, Hindu - 16.69%, Christian - 0.27% and Others - 0.08. Religious institutions 2472 mosques, 937 Buddhist (656 pagodas, 281 temples), 170 temples and 4 churches.

Rangamati

Rangamati(Bengali: রাঙ্গামাটি) is the Administrative Headquarter of Rangamati Hill District in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. The town is located at 22°37'60N 92°12'0E and has an altitude of 14 metres (49 feet).^[1]

It's a travel destination of Bangladesh which is known as "Lake City".

From Chittagong a 77 km road amidst green fields and winding hills leads to Rangamati; which is a wonderful repository of scenic splendours with flora and fauna of varied descriptions. The township is located on the western bank of the Kaptai lake. Rangamati is a favourite holiday destination because of its beautiful landscape, scenic beauty, lake, colourful indigenus groups (Chakma, Marma etc), its flora and fauna, indigenous museum, hanging bridge, homespun textile products, ivory jewellery and the indigenous men and women who fashion them. For tourists, the attractions of Rangamati are numerous. Indigenous life, fishing, speed boat cruising, hiking, bathing or merely enjoying nature as it is.

Hanging Bridge: Hanging Bridge(Jhulonto Bridge in Bengali)is the landmark icon of Rangamati. It's a popular tourist spot and a must go destination. Gagra waterfall is one of the greates combination of nature . Kaptai Lake : Kaptai lake is a wonderful spot for boating and cruising. Parjatan and private tour operators offer a number of cruises by mechanical boats. One can go to various scenic spots in Shuvalong, Barkal, Longadu, Mainimukh and other areas by boat from Rangamati.

Indigenous Museum : The only Indigenous Cultural Museum in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region was established at Rangamati town in 1978 and run by the Tribal Cultural Institute. It preserves valuable objects and articles of different tribes depicting their socio-economic, cultural and historical tradition. These include typical indigenous dresses, ornaments, arms and ammunitions, coins, statues made of wood, bronze and other metals, musical instruments, ivory products, handicrafts, paintings on tribal life etc.

Open: Saturday- Thursday, 10.00 a.m.- 4.00 p.m. Closed: Friday & Public Holidys. Admission is free.

Sunderba

 

About Sundarbans

Sundarbans, the land of bountless beauty and magnificient landscapes and named after the ubiquitous Sundari trees found there in large numbers, is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world and has the honour of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site & a Biosphere Reserve.  The Sundarban forest covers around 10,000 sq.km of which a major portion is in Bangladesh, while the Indian portion is estimated at around 4264 square km. 

Apart from being a unique largest mangrove eco-system of the world, the Sundarbans has the world’s largest deltaic mangrove forests and is also home to one of India’s most iconic wildlife species – the Royal Bengal Tiger. Formed by the confluence of the mighty rivers – the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Meghna – the Sunderbans are a part of the world's largest delta situated on the lower end of the Gangetic West Bengal. It is also the world’s largest estuarine forest criss-crossed by hundreds of creeks and tributaries, intersected by a network of tidal waterways, small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests and mudflats. The interconnected network of waterways makes almost every nook and corner of the forest accessible by boats or rafts making it one of the most attractive and alluring places on earth and an undiscovered paradise.

TheSundarbans also serves as a crucial protective barrier for the inhabitants in and around Kolkata against the floods that result from the cyclones which are a regular occurrence. Sundarbans have also been enlisted amongst the finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature.

Sight-seeing is one of the most common tourist activity as it provides an opportunity to locate and spot rare species of animals & birds in a natural and an unhindered environment. There are several watch towers, where you can glimpse the wildlife in all its glory. Notable among them are Sajnekhali Watch Tower, Sudhanyakhali Watch Tower,  a Watch Tower at Dobanki, Netidhopani, Burirdabri, Kumarmari and Jhingakhali.

At Sajnekhali, a mangrove interpretation center throws light on the flora, fauna and the village life of Sundarbans. It is a must-see for all tourists.

Fact File on Sundarbans

• The area was declared as Protected Forest in the year 1878

• It was declared as Reserve Forest in the year 1928
• One of the first nine Tiger Reserves declared under the Project Tiger Scheme in the year 1973
•  A part of the Tiger Reserve was notified as the Sajnakhali Wildlife Sanctuary having an area of 362.33 sq km in the year 1976
•  The core area of the Tiger Reserve was declared as the Sunderban National Park in the year 1984. The area of the National Park is 1330.10 sq km
•  The National Park Areas was inscribed as a Natural World heritage Site in the year 1987
•  The Tiger Reserve along with adjoining forest areas and human habitations were declared as Sunderban Boisphere Reserve in 1989
•  The Sunderban Biosphere Reserve was recogonised as a Global Biosphere Reserve in 2001
• 1699.62 sq km of the Tiger Reserve was declared as Critical Tiger Habitat in the year 2007

Climate

• October to February — winter, cold and temperate
• March to May — summer, hot and humid
• June to September — the monsoon season, wet and windy

Monsoon cruises are spectacular.

Major Flora

• There are 64 plant species in Sundarbans and they have the capacity to withstand estuarine conditions and saline inundation on account of tidal effects. The most common species are :
  Hatal (Phoenix paludosa), Genwa (Excoecaria agallocha), Dhundul (Xylocarpus granatum),  Kankra (Bruguirea gymnorrhiza), Champa(Bruguiera parviflora), Dhani ghas (Porteresia coarctata), Garjan (Rhizophora apiculata), Keora (Sonneratia apelata), Sundari tree (Heritiera fomes), Golpati(Nypa frutcans)

Main Species

• Excaecaria sp., Heritiera sp., Ceriops sp., Phoenix sp., Sonneratia sp., Avicennia sp., Rhizophora sp., Xylocarpus sp., Bruguiera sp. etc.

Major Fauna

• Tiger, fishing cat, chital, wildboar, water monitor, estuarine crocodile.

Endangered Species

• Tiger, Estuarian Crocodile, River Terrapin (Batagur baska), Olive Ridlay Turtle, Gangetic Dolphin, Ground Turtle, Hawks Bill Turtle, King Crabs (Horse shoe).

Major Attractions:

• Royal Bengal Tiger: Most of the tigers found in the Sundarbans area are man-eaters and can swim in the saline waters. The Sundarban Tiger Reserve is home to more than 250 tigers.

• Mangroves: Sundarbans offers the largest Mangrove eco- system in the world. Mangroves grow in saline coastal habitats in the tropics and subtropical areas.