Kayaking on Shangu

During the long awaited vacation of our Independence Day, we were dying to do some water sports in the Bandarban hills. Since long we have seen the mystic water of the river Shangu during every trekking we made to this area. So, we planned to start trip from Thanchi to Bandarban town.

But after reaching Thanchi we were forced to change our trip course. Our trusted guide and friend Angsui Marma explained the resent security situation. According to him, before and after Ruma Bazar there are a few places which can be dangerous for our first ever kayaking in Bangladesh.

After his suggestion we decided to follow the opposite route from Thanchi to Remakri (Youngrai). This route was short and it would take a day to paddle up and another day to return.

On a bright sunny morning, we kicked off kayaking from Thanchi. It is a common route for Modok Mohal– the farthest south-eastern part of Bangladesh bordering with Burma and India. Remakri can also be reached by trekking.

We spent the first night at our friend’s place in Headman Para, a location close to Thanchi Bazar. We woke up very early in the morning and inflated our two kayaks for the final go. We had to hire another country boat as a rescue and support team. Even at this early morning hour we saw some people near the bank watching us curiously. Some were laughing after seeing the shape of our Kayak as it was quite uncommon. They were concerned about our safety and thought it would be a fatal journey as the route is not so smooth for this kind of soft-shelled boat. There were actually many rough alluvial stones, dead trees, and other objects in the river, which could damage the boat and make it flat. So we had to be very careful if not for our boats but for ourselves.

River Shangu has always been a beauty but it is getting polluted especially near the human settlements like Ruma and Thanchi Bazar. Despite that it is most probably the cleanliest flowing water body of Bangladesh.

We were from Kewkradong Bangladesh– an adventure-based youth community that seeks adventure in every way, but this time it was more than adventure for us as paddling was new to us. We had some practice of paddling boats for a short period of time but such a long duration was completely something new. Only two of our six-member team had proper knowledge of paddling. But after some time we got used to this new adventure.

On our first day, we stopped at Thidu around noon. We cooked our lunch there. Tonmoy found a Banyan tree where we could take rest under its shade and then started again. After some time we suddenly found ourselves in a rock garden! It was rocky all around which we had never experienced before. It was amazing! It was very interesting to find that people have given names to these rocks. Some names were funny, for example, Raja Pathar (King stone), Bara Pathar (Big stone).

Water was calm but it was difficult to maneuver. Sometimes those boulders were so close to each other that we had to cross them very carefully. It took a few hours to cross the rocky region. Finally, we reached Remakri Bazar. Local people helped us bring our luggage and kayaks to the Bazar area. Everyone of the bazaar was curious about us. We were asked to report our names to the adjacent BDR camp. Actually we did it at Thanchi Bazar too.

The local BDR personnel suggested us not to camp anywhere other than the free lawn in front of the Ramkri Bazar rest house. We pitched our tents and fixed our stove to cook dinner. We brought canned foods like roasted beans, sausage, potato and macaroni, and that actually saved our time. A clear moonlit night was a bonus on such a trip.

Next morning we inflated our boats again and started paddling back to Thanchi. We thought going downstream would be easier. Later, we found that the stream was not going down always. At some places we had to paddle against it. It was quite tiring for us and talking longer than we had expected. We paddled throughout the day. In the afternoon, the sky turned dark, showing an ominous sign of a storm. We paddled faster to reach Thanchi before the storm could hit us in the middle of the river. But we could not avoid it. Rain struck us and we had to stop and deflate our boats and dump them on our support boat. After a couple of hours in the storm, we reached Thanchi Bazar when it was already dark. Our friend Angsui Marma already left for home as he though we won’t be coming to Thanchi, but when we knocked at his door he was excited to see us back again.

He arranged delicious food even though it was very late. Next morning we would be leaving Thanchi for BandarBan, then to Dhaka.

We waved our friend from the window of our bus and promised him to get back to Thanchi again for even a bigger trip. He smiled and waved at us. We knew he meant ‘welcome’, not a ‘good bye’!

Story: Muntasir Mamun Imran
Photo: Saad Bin Hossain, Salman Saeed

Travel to Bangladesh

While Bangladesh might not be everyone’s cup of tea, it certainly makes for unforgettable travel. The country might not be heavily developed in terms of hotels, shops and conveniences, but it still has lots to offer. Most of the attractions here have to do with the incredibly natural wealth of the country.

For the most part, Bangladesh is still relatively unexplored, yet it retains enormous natural wealth and beauty. The country is dotted with rivers, lakes and perpetually green hills. Here and there you will find yourself in the midst of a lush tropical rain forest or perhaps in amongst tea plants as you visit one of the many green tea gardens. Bangladesh is also home to the world’s largest mangrove forest which has been declared a World Heritage Site. These are just some of the amazing natural scenes which greet your eyes while traveling the country. When you look out across the hills and valleys, it is as if you are looking at an artists’ canvas – a view so stunning that it seems possible that it existed only in the painter’s imagination.

But that is not where the wealth of the country ends. Home of the Royal Bengal Tiger – an endangered species – Bangladesh will offer you an unparalleled opportunity to see these exquisite creatures in their natural habitat. You can enjoy the warbling of birds as you don your binoculars to spot the different bird varieties or you can take to the coast and visit the world’s longest natural sea beach – a great place to spend time sunning yourself in a country that has an abundance of sunshine. If culture attractions are more interesting to you, you can visit the relics of ancient Buddhist civilizations and enjoy meeting colorful, friendly native tribes.

Perhaps one of the most remarkable things about traveling around Bangladesh is the fact that you are not merely a spectator simply breezing through the country on a whirlwind commercially-styled trip. Here you will learn amazing things about the people first hand. You will have the opportunity to communicate with the people and to spend time amongst nature truly enjoying the delights it has to offer. Bangladesh is more than just a holiday – it’s a destination.

NATORE IS FAMOUS FOR CHALON BIL AND PALACES

The fact is that Natore, a well known district of Bangladesh is not famous for any real character. It is most famous for the imaginary character Bonolota Sen. This character is created by Jibananda Das, who is called the poet of nature and poet of silence. When the common people hear the name of Natore they utter Kanchagolla of Natore. Kanchagolla is a kind of sweatmeat.

Then came the Cholon Bil and two famous estates and palaces.

A stranger in Natore is very eager to visit the following places:
RANI BHOBANIR RAJBARI: That means the palace of queen Bhobani. Rani Bhobani was a great social worker. She was the pioneer to spread education for the women of Bengal. It is a historical palace. Its design is charming. It is situated at the Bongojol area in the Natore district town. Everyday, huge visitors gather here to visit the palace. There is a college, a school, and other institutions in the name of Rani Bhobani.
DIGHAPATIYA RAJBARI: It is the most popular sight to the visitors. The kings of Natore lived here. It is call UTTARA GONOBHABAN now. It is one of the official residences of the president of Bangladesh. Everyone wants to see its design and area. It is situated on a large area. It has a large fancy gate, a large garden, and hundreds of rooms. There are a pond and a sculpture here. It is 5km from Natore district town, and the rickshaw fare is 8/10 taka from the Natore bus terminal.
CHOLON BIL: Cholon Bil is a large natural wetland and known to every Bangladeshi. During the monsoon, the area of the Bil increases and touches four upazilas (sub-districts) of the Natore district. The picnic parties come to Cholon Bil every season. They cook, sing, dance, and do everything they wish in their boats.

It looks like a sea, especially during the monsoon. In the monsoon season, the Bil behaves like a naughty boy. During that time, waves hurt the land frequently. Visiting Cholon Bil during monsoon season is not only a mere travel, but also an adventure.

Quick Tips/Suggestions:
Don’t come back from Natore without tasting the Kanchagolla.

Before visiting the Dighapathiya Rajbari, one will have to have the permission of the D.C. (Deputy Commissioner) of Natore. As it is the official residence of the president, the permission is for security purpose. Cameras are not allowed inside the palace.

If you can’t swim, beware of the boat journey in the Cholon Bil .

Best Way to Get Around:
As Natore is the gateway of northern Bangladesh, it is easy to access here from Dhaka. It is connected with Dhaka by road and rail. The longest highway bridge of Bangladesh, Jamuna Bridge, is on the way from Dhaka.

Take a Walk Along Dhaka’s Bailey Road

With a population topping twelve million, and a population density of 43,797 people per square kilometer, the city of Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, is considered by statisticians to be a "megacity". While it’s true that life in the capital city of Bangladesh appears to move at a frantic pace, there are many places in this vibrant city where citizens, and visitors, can take time out to relax and escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life – even if only for a short period of time. Bailey Road, or Natok Saroni as it has been officially renamed, is one of these special places, and visitors to Dhaka may want to take some time out to enjoy all that this cultural oasis has to offer.

Bailey Road runs through the suburb of Shantinagar, connecting Siddheshwari junction with the Kakrail-Ramna Road, and is the heart of Dhaka’s theater community. The road had originally been named in honor of Sir Steuart Colvin Bayley who was the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal from 1879 through to 1882. However, in recognition of Bailey Road’s importance to the theater community of Dhaka, on 26 August 2005 the Mayor of Dhaka, Sadek Hossain Khoka, announced that the name of the road would change to Natok Soroni, meaning "Theater Road". Well respected theater personalities were present at the name change announcement, including Sayed Ahmed, Liakat Ali Lucky, Ramendu Majumdar and Mamunur Rashid.

The two major theaters on Bailey Road are the Guide House Auditorium and Mahila Samiti Auditorium. As the name may suggest, the Guide House Auditorium was initially established as a base for the Bangladesh Girl Guide Association. The auditorium was built in 1982 and underwent extensive renovations in 2003 and 2004 with the objective of using it for theater productions. Both of these theaters regularly host local and international theater performances.

A number of good quality stores, restaurants and fast food outlets add to the appeal of Bailey Road, while the clothing boutiques offer an array of beautiful garments, including Jamdani saris, where the delicate silk fabric has been made on a handloom. Attesting to its cultural worth, Bailey Road has even been featured in a song by the lead singer of Bangladeshi pop-rock band LRB (Love Runs Blind), Ayub Bachchu. So if you are visiting the Bangladeshi city of Dhaka, be sure to take a walk along fascinating Bailey Road/Natok Saroni, maybe taking time out to enjoy a performance at one of the theaters.

Saat Masjid, A remaining archaeological heritage of Mughals

Archeologists of Bangladesh claim that the Masjid was made by Shaista Khan. He was a Subadhar and army general of Mughal Empire in Bengal region from 1664 to 1688. As the accurate date and year of creation of the Masjid is unknown, we can assume this was made between these years.

Size of the Masjid is 17.67meter X 6.22meter. The masjid has three domes in north to south side and four dooms in four corners. In total it has seven domes, that’s why people call it Sat Gomboj (Seven Dome) masjid. All seven domes are almost in same size.

It has a small gate in front of the masjid. The gate self alone count as an archeological heritage. Place for ablution (Oju) is in the west side of the Masjid. Masjid has a grave yard in east north corner.

After its boundary, there is a big garden, which is also property and part of the masjid. Boundary of the garden ends in the road and just opposite side of the road there is also a small architecture which is actually a shrine (Majar Sharif). People say one daughter of Shaista Khan is sleeping in this Majar sharif.

Architecture of this Majar has similarity with Sat Gambuj Masjid. There is a same architecture in Rohan Pur of Chapai Nawabganj. But the Shat Masjid is an unique Masjid and the same kind of masjid is not found in any other place.

This is a very beautiful architecture by Shaista Khan. This could be one of the places of tourist attractions without hampering the holiness and prayer schedule of the masjid. But I personally didn’t see any initiative by Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) or Department of Archeology of Bangladesh Government. Unplanned buildings very close to the Masjid have also destroyed the beauty of the Masjid. There should be some regulations and implementation of regulations on developing buildings around the archeological heritages.

Some Picture of Saat Masjid

Some picture of purple sunbird