Bahadur Shah Park

Arshinagar Park and mini zoo is next to Narsingdi Railway Station. Literally, Situated in the east side of the Railway station which was founded by late M.P. Shamsuddin Ahmed Ishwaque. There is a big banyan tree outside the park and mini zoo. Where people used to take rest after a long walk or a tiring journey. Under the tree there is a nice place of public sitting. Under this banyan tree, Late M.P. used to sit every day and listened people ' Grievances’. And after his death, he was buried under this tree. His graveyard is nicely decorated with shiny tiles.

To the North of this graveyard, Arshinagar park and mini zoo is located, which was built by late M.P. Shamsuddin. The entry ticket will cost 10 BDT. There you can take a look of different kinds of wild animals, birds, parrots and peacocks etc.

There is a pond inside the park which is dispersed in majority area of this spot. On the edge of this pond, there are several brick built sitting places where the visitors can sit and take a look at the natural beauty of this park. There is also a kids' zone inside the park, where the children are entertained by different kinds of riding.

নরসিংদী রেলওয়েস্টেশনের পূর্বদিকে অবস্থিত আরশিনগর উদ্যান এবং মিনিচিড়িয়াখানাটি প্রতিষ্ঠা করেন বিএনপির জনপ্রিয়নেতা এবং প্রাক্তন সংসদ সদস্য মরহুম শামসুদ্দিন আহমেদ ইসহাক (শামসু)। এই উদ্যান এবং মিনিচিড়িয়াখানার বাইরে রয়েছে একটি বড় বটগাছ। এই গাছটির নীচে চমৎকার বসার ব্যবস্থা রয়েছে যেখানে ক্লান্ত পরিশ্রান্ত মানুষজন বিশ্রাম নিয়ে থাকে। সংসদ সদস্য থাকাকালীন এই গাছের নীচে মরহুম শামসুদ্দিন আহমেদ ইসহাক প্রতিদিন বসতেন এবং মানুষের দুঃখ কষ্টের খোঁজ খবর নিতেন। মৃত্যুর পর তাকে এই বটগাছের নীচেই দাফন করা হয় এবং তার কবরটি চমৎকার টাইলস দিয়ে আবৃত করে রাখা হয়েছে। আরশিনগর উদ্যান এবং মিনিচিড়িয়াখানাটি তার কবরের উত্তরদিকে অবস্থিত।

এই উদ্যান এবং মিনি চিড়িয়াখানায় প্রবেশ করতে আপনাকে ১০/- টাকা প্রবেশমূল্য দিতে হবে। আপনি এখানকার মিনি চিড়িয়াখানায় বিভিন্ন রকমের পশুপাখির দেখা পাবেন। এই উদ্যানের অভ্যন্তর জুড়ে একটি পুকুর রয়েছে যেটির পাড়ে ইট দিয়ে বাঁধানো বসার ব্যবস্থা রয়েছে। দর্শনার্থীরা এখানে বসে উদ্যানের প্রাকৃতিক সৌন্দর্য উপভোগ করতে পারেন।

এই উদ্যানে শিশুদের জন্য একটি পৃথক স্থান রয়েছে যেখানে বিভিন্ন রকমের রাইডে চড়ে শিশুরা চমৎকার সময় উপভোগ করতে পারবে।

Tucked into the northeast corner of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the Pablakhali Wildlife Sanctuary is home to elephants and a wide variety of other animals. The sanctuary is the finest hill forest remaining in Bangladesh and it also an important wetland site.

The Pablakhali Wildlife Sanctuary in Bangladesh is located in the Rangamati District in the Chittagong division. It was established in 1983 so the wildlife and vegetation in the sanctuary is quite settled and well-developed. It is not a very big wildlife sanctuary, as it only covers 420.87 square kilometers, however that does not mean it has nothing to offer. Quite to the contrary, this tiny little sanctuary is positively teaming with life! Some of the animals you can expect to see here include capped langur, hoolock, Asian elephant, rhesus macaque, gibbon, tiger, otters, wild boars, guar, Indian muntjac, Indian python and sambar. Bird lovers can look forward to seeing herons, egrets, little grebe, common coot, common moorhen, waterfowl, white-winged wood duck, Asian openbill stork and more. There are also small cats, dholes and dozens of other animals living in this fascinating wildlife sanctuary. Nature lovers will find that much of this diversity is owing to the regions great topographical diversity. The area is well watered and varies in altitude.

The best time to visit the Pablakhali Wildlife Sanctuary in Bangladesh is between November and May. Visitors can choose between bird safaris and jungle safaris and both are equally rewarding. Accommodation can be found in the immediate area by way of two rest houses. You will find that both Bangla and English is spoken here, so most people can find a way to communicate with the locals and tour guides. The nearest town is Rangamati which can be easily reached by road or rail. Most visitors will touch down at the Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong before taking the train to Rangamati en route to the Pablakhali Wildlife Sanctuary. Whatever way you choose to get there, make sure that you do end up visiting this great wildlife sanctuary!

Adventure: Jungle safari, Bird safari

Wild Life: Tiger, Gaur, Asian Elephant, Rhesus Macaque, Capped Langur, Hoolock Gibbon, Dhole, Small Cats, Otters, Wild Boar, Indian Muntjac, and Sambar,Waterfowl, Little Grebe, Herons, Egrets, Common Moorhen, Common Coot, Asian Openbill Stork, and White-winged Wood Duck, Indian python

Location: At the northern end of Kaptai Lake in the south-eastern part of Kassalong Reserve Forest in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, some 112 km from Rangamati Town. The western boundary is formed by the Kassalong River.

Area: 42,087 hectares

Outstanding Features:

* Wide variety of mammals, including elephants

* A refuge for birds

* Beautiful hilly terrain ranging from 100-300 m

Brief History: It was established as a game sanctuary in June 1962, later declared as Wildlife Sanctuary in 1983.

Habita, Flora & Fauna: Three forest types can be distinguished in the sanctuary: tropical wet evergreen forest; tropical Semi-evergreen; and tropical moist deciduous forest. Among larger mammals, the most important is the population of Asian Elephant. Other mammals are Rhesus Macaque, Capped langur, hoolock Gibbon, Dhole, small cats, otters, wild Boar, and Sambar. There are also numerous bird species in the Sanctuary.

Natore Rajbari (also known as Pagla Raja's Palace, Natore Palace) was a prominent royal palace in Natore, Bangladesh. It was the residence and seat of the Rajshahi Raj family of Zamindars. Famous queen Rani Bhabani lived here and after the death of her husband, expanded both the estate and the palace.

Natore Zamindars was one of the largest Zamindaris of Bengal. The originators of this Zamindari were Ramjivan and Raghunandan both sons of Kamdev. Ramjivan's daughter-in-law was Rani Bhabani (1716-1795), a legendary name in Bengal politics in the 18th century and an endearing personality in every home of the country due to her boundless generosity and public spirit. After becoming Zamindar Ramjivan built his Rajbari at Natore occupying a huge area of 50.42 acres of land and it is enclosed within two rings of defensive moats-one within the other. The moats are now dotted with large tanks, orchards and flower gardens surrounding the derelict ruins of the seven surviving detached palaces. Of these only four deserve description while the rest are in advanced stage of disintegration and are of no architectural significance.

After the death of the great queen, her adopted son Ramkrishna ruled the area. After his death, his two sons Sibnath and Vishwanath became the co-sharers of the Natore Zamindari in 1778. The whole Zamindari was divided between them, and the part of the eldest son was known as "Boro Taraf" and the part of the youngest son was known as "Chhoto Taraf". The Rajbari was protected on all sides by ditches. There were nine buildings in this Rajbari. They are the palace of Boro Taraf, The palace of Choto Taraf, Kachari Bhavan and Guard House of Boro taraf, Kachari Bhavan of Choto Taraf, Rani Bhavan, Guest House, Madhu Rani Bhavan etc.

The main palace block (Boro Torof), now housing the newly created deputy commissioner's office, faces a large open lawn to the south. Two other single-storied blocks, placed on the west and the south, look over the lawn and are laid out in the form of an English "U" with the open side on the east. The main northern block, facing south, has a frontage of about 100'-0" with a prominently projecting porch in the middle and two slightly projecting bays at either end, all carrying triangular pediments above. The elegant central porch is supported on a series of Corinthian columns and semi-circular arches in the typical classical Roman style and the veranda in front of the apartments are also similarly relieved. The whole facade is tastefully decorated with geometric and floral panels in plasterwork. This block contains twelve spacious apartments, disposed on either side of the large reception hall (7.47m × 16.01m) which is located in the middle. The access to the reception hall (60'-0"x 30'-0") is gained through another large hall and is backed by a 10'-0" wide veranda on the north.

The lofty ceiling of the central hall, rises to a height of 30'-0" and is lit by eighteen clerestory windows, originally fitted with colored glass panes, whilst the roof of the other rooms are considerably lower in height. The entire floor of this block is laid in black and white imported marble. The back veranda is supported on twenty pairs of Corinthian columns, the capitals of which contain within its acanthus leaves, some classical nude female figures. The western block, placed at right angles to the main block, has about a 200'-0" frontage and faces the lawn on the east. It is also a single-storied building with an arched projecting bay in the middle. A strip of veranda, supported on a series of paired Doric columns, runs the entire length of the block. Entering through the arched central bay there is access into an open of longed court, occupied by typical 'nat-mandap'. Beyond and further to the west, is a Krishna temple. This family shrine has a 50’-0” wide frontage, backed by a 10’-0” wide veranda which carried on a series of double Corinthian columns.

This ‘nat-mandap’ has a humped tin roof supported on a series of iron pillars. Placed at right angles to this block is another north facing single-storied building, which is about 150’-0” long and has central projecting porch. The porch entrance leads on to a long veranda running the entire length of the building behind which there are a series of apartments of varying sizes, somewhat similarly disposed as the former. A long veranda to the rear of this building overlooks a large tank. A series of Corinthian columns, which support veranda, projects as a semi-circle in the middle. The rear of this handsome block is tastefully decorated in plasterwork. The building at present is occupied by the office of the superintendent of police.

To the south-west rears of the second block a couple of very ruined single-storied residential buildings overlook a large tank from its northern bank. The smaller of these two structures presenting a 50’-0” frontage with a veranda, is relieved with a series of paired Doric columns while the larger adjacent block has a 100’-0” frontage with a veranda carried on a row of double Corinthian columns. Sadly both these ruins are now thickly covered with encroaching thickets and accumulating debris. However, the main palace block of the ‘Chhota-Taraf’, perched picturesquely on the western bank of this large tank and now occupied by the District Judge’s Court, is an imposing structure. The 70’-0” long façade has a prominently projecting central triple-arched portico.

The central part of the building, occupied by the reception hall projects above the flanking wings and is crowned by a pyramidal roof with clerestory windows. The parapet of the porch is decorated in plasterwork with two short projecting bays at either end of the building, each decorated with two pairs of Corinthian columns, which are topped by triangular pediments. Entering this palace block though the porch one encounters a long 10’-0” wide veranda with a black and white marble floor. Behind the veranda there is a row of apartments which lead on to the vast reception hall, measuring 7.32 meter x 15.55meter.

The lofty ceiling of reception hall is another hall measuring 50’-0”x20’-0” with a projecting balcony at the far end which overlooks the encircling moat. Although there are fifteen apartments including the central hall. The rear of the building also is tastefully relieved with Ionic capitals, floral motifs and bearded human heads in stucco. The two large halls of the palace, probably flagged in marble, are now devoid of their original floor, but the other apartments have white and black marble floors. Curiously the capitals most of the columns are of composite character with acanthus leaves intertwining Ionic roundels.

নাটোর রাজবাড়ি পাগলা রাজার প্রাসাদ বলেও বহুল পরিচিত যেটি রাজ জমিদার পরিবারের বাসস্থান হিসেবে ব্যাবহার করা হত। রানী ভবানী এখানে বাস করতেন এবং মৃত্যুর পর তাঁর স্বামী এখানকার চা বাগান ও প্রাসাদের উন্নয়ন করেন। সাতটি আলাদা প্রাসাদের পরিত্যাক্ত ধ্বংসাবশেষ ঘিরে থাকা পরিখাগুলোতে এখন দেখা যায় ট্যাংক, অর্কিড এবং ফুলের বাগান। এই প্রাসাদগুলোর মধ্যে মাত্র চারটি এখন টিকে আছে কিন্তু বাকিগুলো ধ্বংসের দ্বারপ্রান্তে। রানীর মৃত্যুর পর তাঁর দত্তক পুত্র রামকৃষ্ণ এই এলাকা শাসন করেন। রামকৃষ্ণের মৃত্যুর পর তাঁর দুই পুত্র শিবনাথ এবং বিশ্বনাথ নাটোর জমিদারবাড়ির যৌথ মালিক হন ১৭৭৮ সালে। পুরো জমিদার বাড়ি তাদের তাঁদের মধ্যে ভাগ করে দেওয়া হয়। এরপর রাজবাড়িতে বড় পুত্রের অংশকে বলা হত “বড় তরফ” এবং ছোট পুত্রের অংশকে বলা হত “ছোট তরফ”।

রানী ভবানীর বড় পুত্র বড় তরফ নামে এবং ছোট পুত্র ছোট তরফ নামে পরিচিত ছিলেন। রানীর মৃত্যুর পর তাঁর দুই পুত্রের মধ্যে জমিদারী ভাগ হয়ে যায়। এখানে অনেক স্মৃতি স্তম্ভ আছে।

বাংলার অন্যতম বৃহত্তম জমিদারী ছিল নাটোরের জমিদারী। এই জমিদারীর সূচনা করেছিলেন কামদেবের দুই পুত্র রামজীবন এবং রঘুনন্দন। রামজীবনের পুত্রবধু ছিলেন রানী ভবানী। ১৮শ শতকে বাংলার রাজনীতিতে রানী ভবানী ছিলেন এক কিংবদন্তি। তাঁর জনপ্রিয়তা ও উদারতার কারনে দেশের প্রতিটি ঘরে তিনি আকর্ষণীয় ব্যাক্তিত্তে পরিণত হয়েছিলেন। জমিদার হবার পর রামজীবন ৫০.৪২ একর জায়গার ওপর দুই স্তরের পরিখার মধ্যে এই রাজবাড়িটি নির্মাণ করেন।

রাজবাড়িটির চতুর্দিক পরিখার মাধ্যমে সুরক্ষিত ছিল। রাজবাড়িতে নয়টি ভবন ছিল যেমনঃ বড় তরফের প্রাসাদ, ছোট তরফের প্রাসাদ, বড় তরফের কাচারি ভবন ও প্রহরী কক্ষ, ছোট তরফের কাচারি ভবন, রানী ভবন, অতিথিশালা, মধু রানী ভবন ইত্যাদি। ছোট তরফের প্রাসাদটি ১৯৮৪ সালে নাটোরের জজ কোর্ট হিসেবে ব্যাবহার করা হয়েছে। এখানে বেশ কিছু পুকুর আছে যার মধ্যে একটি ছিল ছোট তরফের এবং আরেকটি বড় তরফের।এখানে রানীমহল নামে একটি পরিত্যাক্ত প্রাসাদ আছে যেখানে রানী বাস করতেন।