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!

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.

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.

Cox's Bazar

Cox's Bazar (Bengali: কক্সবাজার) is a town, a fishing port and district headquarters in Bangladesh. It is known for its wide sandy beach which is the world's longest natural sandy sea beach. It is an unbroken 125 km sandy sea beach with a gentle slope. It is located 150 km south of Chittagong. Cox’s Bazar is also known by the name "Panowa", the literal translation of which means "yellow flower". Its other old name was "Palongkee". The modern Cox's Bazar derives its name from Captain Cox (died 1799), an officer serving in British India. In the 18th century, an officer of British East India Company, Captain Hiram Cox was appointed as the Superintendent of Palongkee outpost after Warren Hastings became the Governor of Bengal. Captain Cox was specially mobilised to deal with a century long conflict between Arakan refugees and local Rakhains. The Captain was a compassionate soul and the plight of the people touched his heart. He embarked upon the mammoth task of rehabilitating refugees in the area, and made significant progress. A premature death took Captain Cox in 1799 before he could finish his work. But the work he had done earned him a place in the hearts of the locals and to commemorate his role in rehabilitation work a market was established and named after him as Cox's Bazaar ("Cox's Market"). Although Cox's Bazar is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Bangladesh, it has yet to become a major international tourist destination, due to lack of publicity.