Brief
Bangladesh has very few lakes enlisted under populous tourist spot. Apart from the list, there are few lakes available around the country those can be a supreme destination for any traveler. Raikhong lake is the most prominent from that promising list. The elevation of the lake has around 1165 ft.
This lake is situated at the Rangamati district, not at Bandarban. But, for its location, you have to go there through the Bandarban. That will be the easiest way among all other available, because Rangamati offers communication throw water path only, and also the lake is at the last corner of Rangamati district. No matter how you are going, it’s recommended to pick an expert or guide with you.
Around the lake, you’ll find two villages, one is at the eastern bank of the lake, and other one is at western bank. Those villages are known as Pukur Para (পুকুর পারা). May be it’s because of having around the lake. Both the village denizens are Tripura, but religiously Christian. People from West side of the lake used to do uphill and downhill task to come at the lake, but at eastern side’s villagers can access the lake easily being so close of it, and having almost at flatland.
People also call this lake as Pukur Para (পুকুর পারা) lake. Also from few local people I have heard them pronouncing the lake’s name as Raichong (রাইচং). Not sure which one will be the correct one. No matter what they are saying, or what we are, the beauty of the lake is not going to decrease by that.
Local people used to catch fish from the lake. There is no prohibition about catching fish from that giant lake. Tilapia (তেলাপিয়া) is the first choice from those fishes to stick over the net of the fishermen. At the eastern corner of the lake, there is a tiny Jhiri (ঝিরি) generated from the lake water. Probably that was created to keep the level of the lake water under control. During the rainy season the abundant water from the lake used to pass through that channel and used to join with the Raikhong Canal.
Being many hills around the lake, and the mysterious behavior from the sky, you’ll find different colorful scene at the lake water. Remember, half of the lake water is being untouched by the human. People don’t used to go those portions normally. So you’ll find that area of the lake more beautiful than the proximity of the locality. There is a helipad available at the Pukur Para Army Camp. From that high land, you’ll probably get a picturesque aerial view of the lake.
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[name] => Chalan Beel
[post_id] => 3052
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[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/800px-Chalan_Beel_Natore_Bangladesh_52-300x225.jpg
[post_content] =>
Chalan Beel (Bengali: চলনবিল) is a wetland in Bangladesh. It is a large inland depression, marshy in character, with rich flora and fauna. Forty-seven rivers and other waterways flow into the Chalan Beel. As silt builds up in the beel, its size is being reduced.
Chalan Beel is an extensive lowland area in the lower Atrai basin, and spreads across Singra and Gurudaspur upazilas on Natore District, Chatmohar, Bhangura and Faridpur upazilas of Pabna District, and Ullahpara, Raiganj and Tarash upazilas of Sirajganj District. It consists of a series of beels connected to one another by various channels to form a continuous water body during the rainy season. Although the beel area expands into a vast water body with dense aquatic vegetation as long as the Jamuna remains flooded during the monsoon months, it dries out in the winter months, leaving only patches of water in the central parts of this zone.
Chalan Beel is fast silting up. In the past it covered an area of about 1,085 km² but was reduced to 368 km² in 1909, of which only 85 km² remained underwater throughout the year. It has since shrunk to only 26 km².
The most important factor dominating the river history in Bengal is the large proportion of silt carried by its rivers. It is the silt which has created the land and made it habitable by building it up through the centuries. It is silt which is fertilising the land, but the silt, which has been the most beneficial gift of nature, has also produced most of the river problems now confronting the people of Bengal. Silt deposited in the old river channel beds has forced them to change course, creating problems for abandoned areas while assisting in developing new areas.
The main volume of water from the Ganges River began flowing through the Padma channel in the sixteenth century. Silt from the Padma helped in building up the southern portion of north Bengal. This is the most plausible explanation for the existence of a depression around Chalan Beel. The Teesta was active in the region until it changed its course in 1787. This territory lies in between the land raised in the north by the Teesta system when it was active and that in the south by the Padma.
However, there is another explanation for the creation of the depression. The Padma has been changing its course over the centuries. In Ven den Brouck's map of Bengal, prepared in 1660, the main channel of the Padma is shown as flowing through Faridpur-Bakharganj, but there also is a suggestion of another, possibly earlier channel. This channel runs through Rampur Boalia in Rajshahi, Chalan Beel, Dhaleswari and Buriganga before meeting the Meghna. At that time the Jamunawas virtually non-existent and the Brahmaputra used to flow through its old channel.
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[name] => {:en}Jaflong{:}{:bn}জাফলং{:}
[post_id] => 4142
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/jaflong/
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Jaflong is a union situated at Bangladesh-India border. Jaflong is a landscape beauty among gardens and hills. It is situated next to the river Peain round Hill Khashia. The Mari River originating from the great Himalayas brings tons of stone slabs with its stream. It’s a hilly area comprising of green forests.
Jaflong is a hill station and popular tourist destination in the Division of Sylhet, Bangladesh. It is located in Gowainghat Upazila of Sylhet District and situated at the border between Bangladesh and the Indian state of Meghalaya, overshadowed by subtropical mountains and rainforests. Jaflong is famous for its stone collections and is home of the Khasi (also known as Khasia) tribe.
Jaflong is one of the most attractive tourist spots in Sylhet division. It is about 60 km from Sylhet town and takes two hours drive to reach there. Jaflong is also a scenic spot nearby amidst tea gardens and rare beauty of rolling stones from hills. It is situated besides the river Mari in the lap of Hill Khashia.
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বাংলাদেশ-ভারতের সীমান্তবর্তী খাসিয়া পাহাড়ের কোলে মারি নদীর পাশে অবস্থিত পাহাড়, সবুজ বন ও বাগানের সৌন্দর্য ঘেরা একটি পাহাড়ি অঞ্চলের নাম জাফলং। হিমালয় থেকে সৃষ্ট মারি নদী এখানে প্রচুর পরিমানে পাথরখণ্ড বয়ে নিয়ে আসে।
জাফলং হল সিলেট বিভাগের একটি হিল স্টেশন এবং অন্যতম আকর্ষণীয় পর্যটন কেন্দ্র। সিলেট শহর থেকে ৬০ কিলোমিটার দূরে অবস্থিত এই পর্যটন কেন্দ্রে সড়কপথে পৌছাতে প্রায় দুই ঘণ্টা সময় লাগে। পাথর সংগ্রহ করা এবং আদিবাসী খাসিয়া সম্প্রদায়ের বসবাস এই দুটি কারনে জাফলং এর খ্যাতি রয়েছে। চা বাগান এবং পাহাড় থেকে গড়িয়ে আসা পাথরের বিরল সৌন্দর্যের দেখা মিলবে এখানে।
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[name] => {:en}Jaysagar Dighi{:}{:bn}জয়সাগর দীঘি{:}
[post_id] => 3094
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/jaysagar-dighi/
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It is said that during the reign of kings, Jaysagar Dighi was excavated for collecting water for cattle. Historians claim that during reign of King Gopal Pal, this Dighi was excavated. Many fish farms have been established in this Dighi. This Dighi has a lease settlement with Grameen bank for 25 years. The tenure of lease is almost coming to an end. Adjacent to this Dighi there are several other Dighis. In addition to the huge reservoir, there are sufficient places to build the necessary infrastructure in place for the tourists. There are other dighis like Uday Dighi, Shaila Dighi, Dewan Pirer Mazar etc.
{:}{:bn}
ইতিহাসবিদরা দাবি করেন যে রাজা গোপাল পালের শাসনকালে জয়সাগর দীঘি খনন করা হয়। এই দীঘিতে অনেক মৎস্য খামার গড়ে উঠেছে। গ্রামীণ ব্যাংককে এই দিঘীটি ২৫ বছরের জন্য লীজ দেওয়া হয়েছে যেটি প্রায় শেষ হবার পথে। অন্যান্য দীঘিগুলোর মধ্যে আছে উদয়দীঘি, শালিয়াদীঘি, দেওয়ান পীরের মাজার ইত্যাদি। এই দীঘির পাশেই আরও কয়েকটি দীঘি আছে। এছাড়াও পর্যটকদের জন্যে প্রয়োজনীয় স্থাপনা তৈরির জন্য পর্যাপ্ত জায়গাও আছে এখানে। বলা হয়ে থাকে রাজাদের শাসনকালে এই দিঘীটি গরু ছাগলকে পানি খাওয়ানোর জন্যে খনন করা হয়েছিল।
{:}
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[name] => Harishchondro Dighi
[post_id] => 8966
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/harishchondro-dighi/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Horishchandra-11-300x169.jpg
[post_content] =>
Harishchondro dighi (হরিশ চন্দ্র দিঘী) was made/built by the legendary king Harishchondro for the inhabitants of Rampal Village. It is believed that the water level of this pond remained low along the year but it gets high dramatically during the full moon especially once in a year in the Winter Season. A fair is held here around the place annually. For the local Hindu people, this pond was a sacred place. Hindu's made some rituals near this pond to set marriage of their unmarried daughters. Now this lake is used by the common people.
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