Tourism in : problems and prospects

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by Ziaul Haque Howlader

Forty years has elapsed of Bangladesh’s industry, yet we still see it in a nascent position in comparison to our neighboring countries. Despite having all the potential to flourish, tourism in this country has been growing at a very slow pace. Bangladesh is not known as a tourist destination in the international tourism market. Only 3 lacs foreign tourists came to Bangladesh in 2010, of which more than 70 percent came for business and official purposes. The contribution of the earning from tourism to the country’s GDP is less than 1 percent. The sector got recognition as an industry in 1999. But it never received attention from the government to become a vibrant industry. Whereas many countries which started much later than Bangladesh, for example – Maldives, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos PDR - have developed their tourism industry much faster than this country. In 1998 Bangladesh received 171,961 tourists and Cambodia received only 96,000 tourists. After 11 years in 2009, Bangladesh could attract only 267,000 tourists and Cambodia more than 2 million tourists. This comparison indicates discrepancy in the degree of initiative by two different countries within a same span of time.

The lack of development of the tourism industry of Bangladesh can be attributed to multiple reasons like less-prioritization of tourism by all previous governments, lack of budgetary allocation and scarcity of trained people in the industry. There is also a lack of publicity and marketing activities. We lag behind in projecting our attractions to international tourists through advertisements in international print and electronic media, as our neighbouring countries do. We have to do this for enhancing the positive image of our country and for introducing our prime tourist attractions as well as our vibrant culture. But, there is a lack of sufficient budgetary allocation. We need to develop an effective brand name for tourism. We have never tried to understand that branding not only helps tourism of the country, it encourages foreign investment as well. A tourism branding campaign called ‘Beautiful Bangladesh’ has been developed, but according to the tourism stakeholders of the country it does not wholly reflect the tourist attractions of the country. Tour operators who bring foreign tourists are raising demands to mend it. Bangladesh, which has so many positive aspects, needs to rebuild its brand as a country. Apart from the meagre budgetary allocation of the government, appropriate plans and programmes for tourism development - short term, long term and medium term - was absent before 90’s. Furthermore, in the planning process there were lots of discrepancies. Due to the absence of proper planning, even some infrastructure developments that require a small budget could not be accomplished. For attracting more foreign tourists, we need to turn tourist attractions into tourism products i.e. finished products to sell. Appropriate infrastructural development, super- structure development, introduction of waste management systems and sustainability of the tourist attractions for our future posterity are most essential.

We name Cox’s Bazar as our tourist capital but recreational activities on the beach are very scanty. Tourists do not find any night-life activities, after spending the day at the beach, but to sleep in hotel rooms. We should understand that tourists do not come here to sleep idly in a hotel. They love to remain busy through experiencing different memorable activities. We need to make the tourists busy in different activities all the time and bring out money from their pockets. Tourists come to spend money not take it back. On the other hand, whatever development has taken place at Cox’s Bazar is unplanned and uncontrolled. Appropriate regulation is absent there. Still there is no proper water and sewerage system; gas connection is absent; only a limited number of flights land there. – a second priority beach for tourists – cannot be reached very easily. Though road communication has improved from before, tourists tend to avoid going there more than once, due to the lack of standard facilities. The archaeological sites in the north- west of Bangladesh are also popular with tourists. But, due to the absence of interpreters and facilities, tourists do not make overnight stays. Every year many domestic and foreign tourists visit Paharpur – a world heritage site. They can reach Paharpur in the late afternoon by starting very early from . But after a short while at Paharpur, the sun sets. So they become worried where to make a night halt, because there are no hotels at or Joypurhat district town. At the other famous archaeological sites, proper interpretation signage and educated guides are not found. Sufficient numbers of litter bins are not installed along the sites.

Infrastructure development is sine-quo-non for the sustainable tourism development of any country and Bangladesh is also no exception. Tourism friendly infrastructure is required for smooth and free movement of tourists of all ages, and even for the physically challenged tourists. In view of this, Bangladesh needs to develop accommodations, eateries, good communication and transportation systems, toilet facilities, parking facilities etc. near the tourist spots of the country. It needs to develop international standard facilities at all the tourist spots of Bangladesh.

For promotional campaigns and the marketing of Bangladesh tourism abroad, we need to provide guidelines to the economic councillors and visa officers of the foreign missions of Bangladesh so that they can encourage foreign tourists to visit Bangladesh. Or, we can establish tourism offices in the tourist generating countries like China, UK, USA, Japan, Australia, because these countries produce more than 70 percent of the world’s outbound tourists. We lack a marketing strategy which causes the absence of proper marketing initiatives for tourism products of the country.

We need to diversify our tourism products to attract tourists and encourage them to make repeated visits. We can segment our tourism regions in different categories, so that tourists can be interested to visit many different places. We need to develop tourism products based on archaeology, culture and monument, river, tea garden, indigenous culture etc. We may develop MICE tourism as has been developed by Singapore, Korea, China and other countries of Asia. Many multinational companies of Bangladesh hold their AGM and other meetings in those countries, as well as organise recreational activities there. In this regard, we need to develop many condominiums, international convention centres etc in Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar. If we can ensure them these facilities, they won’t fly to other countries.

There is a great potential to promote sports . We can develop venues and infrastructure in the country. Some cricket venues have already been developed. But, more venues need to be established in various places of the country like Cox’s Bazar (the world’s longest sea beach), Kuakata, , Barisal, Dinjapur etc. For the development of sports tourism we can seek both local and foreign investment. This way we shall be able to reap benefits. Also, by developing sports tourism we can help develop many backward linkage sectors in the country. Besides, this will help the creation of many informal jobs like tea vendors, food corners, betel shops, hawkers etc. A policy framework is necessary to be developed, and strong coordination amongst the concerned departments is required.

We should also emphasise on domestic tourism. Without the development of domestic tourism it is hard to attract foreign tourists. When local people movements start from one place to another, confidence of investors will grow.

Bangladesh should also take initiatives for eco-tourism development in the country especially in the naturally and culturally rich areas. and Hill Tract (CHT) regions of Bangladesh are paradises for eco-tourism activities. On the other hand, is the gold mine for eco-tourism. It is the single largest forest in the world. It has been designated as a world heritage site since 1997. The world’s second largest mangrove forest is Mastang in Malaysia, which is only one-tenth the size of the Sundarbans. To develop eco-tourism in the Sundarbans, we can install some world class cruise vessels to take tourists to the forest. But we should keep in mind that the eco-system of the Subdarbans is not disturbed. We can also develop eco-tourism at St. Martin’s island which will help protection of the island. Eco-tourism development will help us preserve our rich cultural heritage for the benefit of our future generations. Different policy approaches are required in this regard. Controls of visitors, enforcement of tourist movement guidelines and waste management facilities are required for eco-tourism development.

Safety and security of the tourists should be given the utmost priority. Forming only tourist police cannot solve the problem. Proper orientation should be given to police so that they can behave properly with tourists. The local people have to be involved in this process. When local people would find benefits from tourist activities, they would safeguard the tourists as well as the tourist attractions. Local people at tourist sites have always been neglected. We see that local people get little benefit from the tourism activities in their own areas. For instance, the indigenous and ethnic minority people of or Bandarban get very little trickle down benefits from the tourism activities over there. They were never included in the tourism planning and development processes. They have not been properly informed of the value of the tourism resources or to take pride in their own areas. When local people get involved with tourism activities in their localities, a sense of ownership of the tourist attractions grows in them. They become aware of the need to protect and conserve the attractions.

Bangladesh also needs to change its visa policy. It may go for visa waivers for the top tourist generating countries and introduce visa on arrival systems for tourist groups. Nepal provides us visa on arrival but we don’t reciprocate, which hinders tourist to come from Nepal. Immigration formalities at the land ports should also be simplified for foreign tourists.

The foreign currency earning goods of Bangladesh like RMG, shrimp, jute items are now facing stiff competition from other countries. In response, tourism can be an export item to support earning foreign currency for the country. We must know that, in this era of economic globalisation, tourism is considered to be one of the fastest growing and ever-expanding industries and also demonstrates a resilient character. It is a labour-intensive industry that creates hundreds of jobs every year across the world. Tourism is a great tool for poverty alleviation. It helps reduce poverty to a great extent by involving local people and creating job opportunities. Tourism jobs and businesses are usually created in the most underdeveloped regions of a country which helps to equalise economic opportunities throughout a nation, providing an incentive for residents to remain in rural areas rather than move to overcrowded cities. The tourism industry provides the government with hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues each year, through accommodation and restaurant taxes, airport users’ fees, sales taxes, park entrances fees, employees’ income tax and many other fiscal measures.

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, since its inception in 1972, has created some tourist facilities in different tourist attractions of the country, and has been carrying out some promotional and marketing activities. BPC currently provides tourist facilities to domestic and international tourists in the form of hotels, motels, restaurants, cottages etc. But, this is not enough. There are a lot of things to do. Creation of hotels, motels is not the only aspect of tourism development. We need to do more, including the creation of public awareness. We need proper planning. And for proper planning, extensive research is necessary. Continuous research on tourist trends, market segments and diversification and vulnerability of tourism products is required. We should be vigilant so that ugly tourism can not flourish here. Exploitation, prostitution and child abuse in tourism should be checked constantly. We should follow the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism set by the UNWTO. We should move forward with a holistic approach for tourist satisfaction as well as preservation and conservation of the tourism products of the country. Only a single ministry or department cannot accomplish all these tasks. Cooperation from other departments is necessary.

Tourism in Bangladesh

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Part of a series on Tourism in Bangladesh

Beaches

Cox's Bazar sea beach · Kuakata Patenga St. Martin's Island ·

Hill stations

Bandarban · Khagrachari · Rangamati · Sripur · Srimongol

Islands

Chhera island · Bhola · Hatiya Kutubdia · Manpura · Nijhum Dwip · Sonadia · St. Martin's Island

Wildlife

Sundarbans · Bhawal · Lawachara forest Waterfalls

Hum hum · Madhabkunda · Nafa-khum

Archaeological sites

Bhitagarh · Choto Jagaddala Mahavihara · Mosque City of Bagerhat Noapara-Ishanchandranagar · · · Wari-Bateshwar

Architecture

Ahsan Manzil · · Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban

Lalbagh Fort ·

Religious

Mosques

Sixty Dome Mosque

Hindu Temples

Kantaji Temple

Buddhist Temples

Buddha Dhatu Jadi

Churches Armenian Church (Dhaka)

Events

International mother language day Pohela Boishakh

National monuments

Jatiyo Smriti Soudho Shaheed Minar

Miscellaneous

Gardens · Lakes · Museums Palaces · Parks · Rivers World Heritage Sites · Zoos

Bangladesh Portal

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Tourism in Bangladesh is a slowly developing foreign currency earner. The country has much to attract international and domestic tourists.

Bangladesh's tourist attractions include archaeological sites, historical mosques and monuments, resorts, beaches, picnic spots, forests and tribal people, wildlife of various species. Bangladesh offers ample opportunities to tourists for angling, water skiing, river cruising, hiking, rowing, yachting, sea bathing as well as bringing one in close touch with pristine nature. Lonely Planet ranked Bangladesh as the best value destination for the year 2011.[1] [2]

In the northern part, comprising the division, there are archaeological sites, including the temple city Puthia in Rajshahi; the largest and most ancient archaeological site, Mahasthangarh in ; the single largest Buddhist monastery, Paharpur in Naogaon; the most ornamental terracota in Bangladesh Kantaji Temple, and many rajbaris or palaces of old .

In the south-western part, mainly the Division, there is the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest of the world with Royal Tiger and spotted deer. The historically and architecturally important sixty domed mosque in Bagerhat is a notable site.

In the south-eastern part, which is the , there are natural and hilly areas like , along with sandy sea beaches. The most notable beach, in Cox's Bazaar, is a contender for the title of longest unbroken sandy sea beach in the world.

In the north-eastern part, , there is a green carpet of tea plants on small hillocks. Natural reserved forests are great attractions. Migratory birds in winter, particularly in the areas, are also very attractive in this area.

In 2004, the US Department of State estimated the daily cost of staying in Dhaka at $191. Expenses in other areas can be much lower.

The official Tourism Logo of Bangladesh, used to promote the tourist attractions in the country.

Cox's Bazaar is the longest natural unbroken sea beach in the world. Jaflong in Sylhet Contents

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 1 Activities

 2 Unique places

o 2.1 Natural

o 2.2 Religious

o 2.3 Ancient ruins

o 2.4 Middle Age

o 2.5 British architecture

o 2.6 Modern

 3 Festivals

 4 Foreign visitor arrivals in 2007-2008

 5 Safety of tourists

 6 Shopping  7 See also

 8 References

 9 External links

[edit] Activities

 Pohela Boishakh: Bangla New Year [Bangla: বববলব নববরর Bangla Nôbobôrsho] or Pohela/Poyela Boishakh [পহহলব ববশবখ Pôhela Boishakh or পযলব ববশবখ Pôhela Boishakh] marks the first day of the Bangla Calendar. Poyela Boishakh is celebrated with great fervor in the South Asian region of Bengal.In Bangladesh, it is a national holiday celebrated around 14 April.Pohela Boishakh is a Public festival [সববরজননন উৎৎৎ সব] of the ; it is celebrated among all Bengalis- irrespective of religious and regional differences.[3]

 Language Movement Day, commemorate protests and sacrifices to protect Bangla as a national language. Correspondingly, February 21 is a national holiday in Bangladesh.

, Fair that take place throughout the February month. [edit] Unique places

[edit] Natural

 Cox's Bazar, Miles of golden sands, towering cliffs, surfing waves, rare conch shells, colorful , Buddhist temples and tribes, delightful seafood—this is Cox's Bazar, the tourist capital of Bangladesh, Having the world's longest (120 kilometers.) beach sloping gently down to the blue waters of the , Cox's Bazar is one of the popular tourist spots in the country. With a beach that is one of the contenders for the world's longest (120 kilometers), sloping gently down to the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal. In the east lie the hilly and forested regions of Tripura, .

There are other tourist places and destinations in Bangladesh, like Srimangal, Mainamati, Mahasthangarh, Paharpur, Rangamati, and Kaptai for sight seeing, and the Sundarbans. Cox's Bazar and its adjoin areas have a lot of things to see and places deserve visit by the tourists: Himchari, Inani, Maheskhali, Ramu, , The Aggameda Khyang.[4]

 Kuakata, Kuakata is one of the rarest places which has the unique beauty of the full view of the rising and setting of crimson sun in the water of the Bay of Bengal in a calm environment. That perhaps makes Kuakata one of the world's unique beaches. It is 70 km from headquarters and 320 km from Dhaka.[5]  Sundarbans, The Sundarbans delta, at the mouth of the river, is the largest mangrove forest in the world,[citation needed] spreading across parts of Bangladesh and , . The Sundarbans features a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests. The area is known for its wide range of fauna, with the Royal being the most famous, but also including many birds, spotted deer, crocodiles and snakes.[6]

 St. Martin's Island, This small coral island about 10 km (6 mi) south-west of the southern tip of the mainland is a tropical cliché, with beaches fringed with coconut palms and bountiful marine life.

 Lawachara National Park, a tropical forest resident of tropical animals

 Nafa-khum largest water fall of the country.

 Nijhum Dwip Nijhum Dweep located in the Bay of Bengal under the jurisdiction of the of Bangladesh, was designated in 2001 as the Nijhum Dweep National Park. The park is rich in plant and animal life, as well as being home to plentiful bird-life, while hosting numerous migratory birds.[7]

[edit] Religious

 Shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal(Rh) Hazrat Shah Jalal was buried in Sylhet.The Shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal has become a place of pilgrimage for hundreds of devotees who come to the shrine in their droves from all over the country. Not far from the Shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal, is the Shrine of Hazrat Shah Paran, who is believed to be Hazrat Shah Jalal’s nephew.[8]

 Mosque City of Bagerhat, The Mosque City of Bagerhat is a formerly lost city, located in the suburbs of Bagerhat city in , in the .The historic city, listed by Forbes as one of the 15 lost cities of the world, has more than 50 Islamic monuments.

 Kantojiu Temple, built between 1702 and 1752, a nava-ratna (nine-spired) style hindu temple.

, built in 12th century, a hindu temple.

 Hoseni Dalan, a Shia shrine built in the 17th century.

[edit] Ancient ruins

 Wari-Bateshwar ruins, built in 450 BC, 2500 years old ancient fort city  Somapura Mahavihara,Somapura Mahavira (Great Monastery) is a Buddhist monastery situated in the Rajshahi District in the north of Bangladesh.Covering almost 27 acres of land, Somapura Mahavira is one of the largest monasteries south of the Himalayas. The design is considered to be greatly influenced by found in Java and Cambodia.[9]

 Mainamati Mainamati an isolated ridge of low hills in the eastern margins of deltaic Bangladesh, about 8 km to the west of Comilla town is a very familiar name in BAngladesh's cultural heritage. A landmark of our ancient history, it represents a small mass of quasi-lateritic old alluvium.The ridge, set in the vast expanse of the fertile lower Meghna basin, extends for about 17 km north-south from Mainamati village on the Gumti River to Chandi Mura near the Lalmai railway station.[10]

The oldest archaeological site in Bangladesh is outside Bogra, at Mahasthangarh.

[edit] Middle Age

 Sonargaon,Sonargaon (Bengali: সসবনবরগবগও; also transcribed as Sunārgāon[1]) was the administrative center of medieval Muslim rulers in .

Lalbagh Fort or Fort Aurangabad, an incomplete Mughal palace fortress at Dhaka on the river Buriganga in the southwestern part of the old city.The fort was considered to be a combination of three buildings (the mosque, the tomb of Bibi Pari and the Diwan-i-Aam), two gateways and a portion of the partly damaged fortification wall. [11]

, Ahsan Manzil was previously the official palace of the Dhaka Nawab family and is currently a museum preserving the culture and history of the area.Ahsan Manzil is considered to be one of the most noteworthy architectural monuments in Bangladesh.[12]

 Bara Katra, Bara Katra an architectural relic of Dhaka city. It is situated to the south of Chawk Bazar close to the bank of the river buriganga.The Katra enclosed a quadrangular courtyard with 22 rooms on all of its four sides.[13]

[edit] British architecture

 Curzon Hall a hundred years old biritsh style town hall.

 Northbrook Hall a hundred and fifty years old Biritsh style town hall.

[edit] Modern  Jatiyo Smriti Soudho, a 150 feet tall beautiful 7 isosceles triangular pyramid shaped structures built on the honour for who sacrificed their lives at Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971.

 Bangladesh National Museum Located in the suburb of , in the city of Dhaka, is the biggest museum in Bangladesh. Its staggering collection of over eighty five thousand pieces are beautifully preserved.The massive four storey building is not only home to large exhibition halls, but to a conservatory laboratory, library, three auditoriums, photographic gallery, temporary exhibition hall and an audio-visual division.[14]

 Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban, Building of Bangladesh, located in the capital Dhaka. It was created by architect and is one of the largest legislative complexes in the world. It houses all parliamentary activities of Bangladesh.

 Shaheed Minar,Is a national monument in Dhaka, Bangladesh, established to commemorate those killed during the Language Movement demonstrations of 1952.All national, mourning, cultural and other activities occurred each year regarding 21 February is centered around the Shaheed Minar.

 Bhashani Novo Theatre [edit] Festivals

 Eid ul-Fitr Islamic festival marking the end of Ramadan

Puja Hindu festival to the goddess Durga

 Eid-ul-Azha,Another Islamic festival. [edit] Foreign visitor arrivals in 2007-2008

According to statistics of the country's National Tourism Authority (NTA), a total of 349,837 foreign tourists visited Bangladesh in 2008, about 21 percent higher than that in 2007.

Despite the rise in number of tourists' visits, the incomes from the tourism sector in 2008 came down to 4. 60 billion taka (about 65.7 million U.S. dollars) in 2008 from 5.27 billion taka (about 75.3 million U.S. dollars) in 2007, the NTA figure showed.[15] [edit] Safety of tourists

The lack of adequate security and poor infrastructure were largely blamed for lower tourist arrivals in the country's many remote tourism spots, which officials said virtually prompted the authorities to create the new unit.DHAKA - Bangladesh has formed a new police unit to ensure more protection for local and foreign tourists and tourism spots in the South Asian country.[15] [edit] Shopping

Photographed is a Chakma shop with handicrafts on display and a small crowd of tourists. Chittagong hill region alongside Cox's Bazar happens to be one of the major tourist attractions of the country.

Bangladesh is indeed a shoppers' paradise with a rich tradition in handicrafts at throw away prices. While muslin of ancient Dhaka has gone into history, other products such as contemporary paintings, wood works, (mats that feel cool), bamboo decoration pieces, cane and conch shell products, gold and silver ornament, cotton, silk, gold, silver, jute, reed, brassware, traditional dolls and leather goods also receive deep appreciation of the lovers of arts and crafts now and over the past centuries. In addition, Bangladesh is famous for pink pearl.[16] Riffles Square, Jigatala New Market Pink City, Gulshan 2. [edit] See also

 List of hotels and resorts in Bangladesh

 List of shopping malls in Bangladesh [edit] References

1. ^ Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2011. Lonely Planet. 2011. ISBN 978-1-74220-090-3.

2. ^ "Top 10 best value destinations for 2011". Lonely Planet.

3. ^ Chatterjee, Saurav (2011-11-07). "Pohela Boishakh | Bengali New Year | Promote Bangla". Promotebangla.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2012-10-05.

4. ^ "Destination Bangladesh : Cox's Bazar". Discoverybangladesh.com. Retrieved 2012-10-05.

5. ^ "Destination Bangladesh : Kuakata". Discoverybangladesh.com. Retrieved 2012-10-05. 6. ^ "Sundarbans | New7Wonders of Nature". Nature.new7wonders.com. Retrieved 2012-10-05.

7. ^ "Nijhum Dweep National Park, Hatiya | By Bangladesh Channel". Bangladesh.com. Retrieved 2012-10-05.

8. ^ "Shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal - Bangladesh Blog | By Bangladesh Channel". Bangladesh.com. Retrieved 2012-10-05.

9. ^ "Visit the Intriguing Somapura Mahavira - Bangladesh Blog | By Bangladesh Channel". Bangladesh.com. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2012-10-05.

10. ^ http://www.banglapedia.org/httpdocs/HT/M_0078.HTM

11. ^ http://www.banglapedia.org/httpdocs/HT/L_0026.HTM

12. ^ "Ahsan Manzil – Standing Proud - Bangladesh Blog | By Bangladesh Channel". Bangladesh.com. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2012-10-05.

13. ^ http://www.banglapedia.org/httpdocs/HT/B_0284.HTM

14. ^ "Bangladesh National Museum, Shahbag, Dhaka | By Bangladesh Channel". Bangladesh.com. Retrieved 2012-10-05.

15. ^ a b "Protecting Tourists In Bangladesh Bangladesh creates tourist police". eTurboNews.com. 2009-08-16. Retrieved 2012-10-05.

16. ^ "Shopping in Bangladesh". Discoverybangladesh.com. Retrieved 2012-10-05. [edit] External links

Wikivoyage has travel information related to: Bangladesh

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bangladesh

 Official website of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation

 Parjatan.org

 Bangladesh travel and tourism at the Open Directory Project

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Dhaka, the capital Dhaka the sprawling and bustling national metropolish of Bangladesh, has an exciting and rich cultural heritage. Founded in 1608, the city alternately enjoyed the glory of being the capital of this part when it was successively under the Mughal, British and Pakistani rules. Standing on the river Buriganga, Dhaka became the capital of Bangladesh after it emerged as an independent and soverign state in 1971. Once known as a city of 52 bazars and 53 lanes, Dhaka has a happy blend of Mughal, Victorian and modern architectures as well as a number of historical relics. The recent sprut in high-rise buildings is fast changin Dhaka's skyline.

The city still has a name for its exotic culinary and cuisine and was once known worldwide as a city of mosques and muslin. Nearby is Sonargaon, the old capital and throbbing river part of Narayanganj - The main trading. With its spacious national museum, lush green parks and zoo, serpentine lakes, tree-lining streets, open air bazars and colorful modern shopping plazas laden with traditional handicrafts and other items, posh and modern luxury hotels, Dhaka displays the exotic beauty of an enhancing oriental capital city. Art and artifacts, theatres, dance drama and music having inimitable local touch flourish in Dhaka making it the country's prime cultural hub. Dhaka's major waterfront Sadarghat, crowded with all kinds of rivercrafts, stands on the bank of the river Buriganga. Dhaka is also the hub of industrial, commercial and political activities of the coutry.

National Parliament Complex - A political view of Jatio Sangshad Bhaban, the national parliament complex at Shere-Bangla Nagar in the capital city. It is one of the rare architectural edificecs created by world famous architect Louis I. Kahn.

Central Shahid Minar - Language martyrs' monument in Dhaka city in memory of the students and others killed during the historic language movement on 21 February 1952.

Bangabandhu Memorial Museum - the residence of Bangabandhu was turned into a museum in 1997 named Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhaka.

National Museum - Historic relics, paintings and other collectioons preserved in the National Museum reflect the heritage of the country.

Three Leaders Mausoleum is an interpretation of the traditional Islamic architecture motif of arch.

National Martyrs' Memorial at Savar near Dhaka commemorating the supreme sacrifice of millions during the war of independence in 1971.

Star Mosque (18th century) locally known as Masjid is a mosque located in Dhaka. The mosque has ornate designs and is decorated with motifs of blue stars.

Lalbagh Fort in Dhaka, built in the early 18th century by the Mughal rules. It has a distinct architectural design of the Mughal period. Within the fort is the tomb of Poribibi, daughter of Shaesta Khan, the Mughal Governor, it is admired widely for superb interior decoration and the use of marble and streak-plates.

Sadarghat - Dhaka's main waterfront on the bank of river Buriganga. Bangladesh is a riverine country where island water transportation plays an important role in carrying passenger and carrying goods. Sadarghat connects the outlying districts with the capital city through waterways.

Chittagong The commercial capital of Bangladesh The commercial capital and the biggest seaport of Bangladesh, the healthy city (declared by UNESCO), Chittagong is located in a picturesque hinterland of large hill forests and lakes. Its green hills and forests, board sandy beaches and fine cool climate always attract holidaymakers. Chittagong is connected with Dhaka by rail, road, air and water.

Cox's Bazar Arguably the most attractive tourist resort of the country located on a low range of sand hills between the river Bakhaliand the Bay of Bengal with a long open beach towards the sea.

In addition to the long sea- beach with its silvery waves breaking at the foot of hills and sea-bathing, the attractions of Cox's Bazar include a drive along the beach, the view of the sun setting on the rolling sea- waves, the moonlit night, and the exciting interior of the bazar and its people.

Cox's Bazar is about 150 km from Chittagong and is connected to the port city by bus, air and steamer services. It is a district town and is also the headquarters of the Cox's Bazar forest division. The town and surrounding places have many clolourful pagodas and Buddhist temples and are inhabited by, among others, many tribal people who have their own distinct customs and traditions.

Himchhari, located 18 km south of Cox's Bazar along the sea beach, is a nice place for picnic and film shooting. The broken hills and waterfalls here are unique spots. Another attraction is the Christmas trees. Ramu, about 10 km from Cox's Bazar on the main road to Chittagong, is a Buddhist village and boasts a number of Buddhist temples (khyangs) containing statues and images of Gautam Buddha in gold, bronze and other metals inlaid with precious stones. The most beautiful among the khyangs is the one near Bakkhali on Tiger Canal. The khyang houses relics and Burmese handicrafts and a 10-feet high bronze statue of Buddha resting on a 6-feet high pedestal. The wood carving of this khyang is very delicate and refined.

Sonadia is a crescent shaped island about 7-km north-west of Cox's Bazar. The area of the island is about 9 sq km. Its western coast is sandy and is rich in different kinds of shells. Every winter thousands of fishermen camp here and make large hauls. The island is a centre of the dry fish industry. Another attraction of the island is the sight of game birds migrating here in great numbers during the winter season. Maheshkhali, also an island off the coast of Cox's Bazar, has an area of 268 sq km. A range of low hills, about 300 feet high, stretches through the centre of the island and along its eastern coastline. On the top of the hills is famous Hindu temple, the adinath temple, which becomes a place of pilgrimage during the month of Falgun (March). The coasts of the island on the west and north form a low- lying tract that is fringed by mangrove forests.

Teknaf is a small township on the at the end of the hilly region. It is 80 km south of Cox's Bazar and is a beautiful place facing Myanmar across the Naf. One of the major attractions of Teknaf is the journey by boat or sampan. A picturesque hilltop resort has also been developed at Teknaf. The town and its surrounding areas provide outsiders an opportunity to see the people and culture of the Arakan and Magh communities.

St Martin Island

The Coral Island A small island in the northeast of the bay of bengal, about 9 km south of the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf peninsular tip and forming the southernmost part of Bangladesh. It is about 8 km west of the northwest coast of Myanmar at the mouth of the river Naf.

There is a shallow lagoon in the middle of and it is connected to the sea during high tide by a narrow channel on the western coast. The topsoil of Uttarpara consists of alluvial sands mixed with shells of molluscs. There are two small dead lagoons and a stretch of marshy land in Dakshinpara. Fish landing sites, bazars and schools are present only in Uttarpara.

Launches and country boats ply between the island and teknaf regularly. The population is about 3,700 and most of them are fishermen belonging to 535 families. One hundred eighty-two species of wildlife are recorded from the island. Of these, 4 species are amphibians, 28 reptiles, 130 birds and 20 mammals. tourism to the northern part of the island exists during four months (November to February). The most densely populated part is Jinjira. There is scarcity of sweet water on the island. Only a few ponds and a number of tubewells supply sweet water for drinking as well as for cultivation. Though the island falls in the monsoon zone, the climate is much influenced by the sea. The main vegetation is coconut, betel nut and bamboo. Coconut trees are abundant and more concentrated in the Jinjira area. The soil of the island is not so fertile. The main agricultural products are onion, watermelon and some rice.

Several living small coral colonies are found in small sheltered pools very near the low tide level around the island. They also occur in the surrounding shallow sea, mostly growing on the beach rocks and calcareous sandstone concretions. The dead coral colonies also occur in pool-like depressions within the high and low tide levels. Some of them are located at an elevation of nearly 3.50m above the low tide level. The oldest fossil coral belongs to Late Pleistocene, giving an age of 33,238 years (C14 dating). The clearest indication of the Holocene upliftment of the island is the appearance of an emerged 3.0m coquina limestone cliff on the coast of Dakshinpara ranging in age from 450 years at the base to 292 years at the top (C14 dating)

Sylhet Juflong River

Situated amidst splendid panorama, Tamabil is a border outpost on Sylhet- Shilong Road about 55 km. away form Sylhet town. juflong is also a scenic spot nearby amidst tea gardens and rare beauty of rolloing stones from hills

Tea Garden

Nestled in the picturesque Surma Valley amidst scenic tea plantations and lush green tropical forests. Sylhet is a prime attraction for all tourists visiting Bangladesh.

Sreemangal is famous for the largest tea gardens of the world covered by lush green carpet.

Madhabkunda

Soak yourself in the beautiful waterfalls in Madhabkunda and Hum Hum.

Tanguar Haor

The valley has good number of which are big natural depressions. The haor turn into seas in the rainy season.

Lawacherra Rain forest is one of the important and well- reserved forests in Bangladesh. This is a heaven for bird watchers.

Shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (R)

Sylhet city is also a must visit place for Muslims and for the shrines and temples.

Sundarban The world's biggest mangrove Forest The dense green mangrove forest Sundarbans is located about 320 km. south-west of Dhaka and spread over an area of about 6000 sq. km of deltaic swamps along the coastal belt of Khulna, the Sundarbans is the world's biggest mangrove forest - the home of Royal Bengal Tiger.

These dense mangrove forests are criss-crossed by a network of rivers and creeks. Here, tourists find tides flowing in two directions in the same creek and often tigers swimming across a river or huge crocodiles basking in the sun.

Other wildlife of the region include the cheethas, spotted deer, monkeys, pythons, wild bears and hyeanas. The forest is accessible by river from Khulna or Mongla. UNESCO has declared the Sundarban a world heritage site that it offers splendid opportunities for tourism.

Paharpur Paharpur is an important archaeological site in Bangladesh, situated in a village named Paharpur (Pahadpur) under the Badalgachhi of . The village is connected with the nearby Railway station Jamalganj, the district town Naogaon and Jaipurhat town by metalled roads. It is in the midst of alluvial flat plain of northern Bangladesh. In contrast to the monotonous level of the plain, stands the ruins of the lofty (about 24m high from the surrounding level) ancient temple which was covered with jungle, locally called Pahar or hill from which the name Paharpur is derived. Architectural remains

Pre-liberation expeditions have revealed the architectural remains of a vast Buddhist monastery, the somapura mahavihara, measuring 274.15m N-S and 273.70m E-W. This gigantic establishment with surrounding 177 monastic cells, gateways, votive , minor chapels, tank and a multitude of other structures for the convenience of the inmates, is dominated by a central shrine, conspicuous by its lofty height and architectural peculiarities. It is distinguished by its cruciform shape with angles of projection between the arms, its three raised terraces and complicated scheme of decoration of walls with carved brick cornices, friezes of terracotta plaques and stone reliefs.

The Monastery

The entire establishment, occupying a quadrangular court, has high enclosure walls, about 5m in thickness and from 3.6m to 4.5m in height. Though the walls are not preserved to a very great height, but from their thickness and massiveness it can be assumed that the structure was storied commensurate with the lofty central shrine.

Apart from the central temple in the courtyard of the monastery there are many other small building remains, which were built in different phases of occupation. The important ones are a number of votive stupas of various sizes and shapes, a model of the central shrine, five shrines, kitchen and refectory, masonry drain, and wells. Still there are some structures whose features could not be ascertained. The miniature model of the central shrine is located in the south of the central block of eastern wing of the monastery. In this model the plan has been perfected and made more symmetrical.

Central temple The central part of the vast open courtyard of the monastery is occupied by a lofty shrine, the remains of which is still 21m high and covers 27sqm area. It was built on a cruciform plan which rises in three gradually diminishing terraces. The shape of the terminal structure is still unknown to us. A centrally placed hollow square right at the top of the terraces provides the moot point for the conception of the whole plan of the spectacular form and feature of this stupendous monument. In order to relieve monotony and to utilise the colossal structure to serve its basic purpose, provision was made in the second as well as in the first terrace for a projection, consisting of an ante-chamber and a mandapa on each face, leaving out a portion of the whole length of the square at each of the four corners. The ambulatory passage with the parapet wall was made to run parallel to the outline of this plan. This arrangement resulted in a cruciform shape with projecting angles between the arms of the cross. An enclosure wall strictly conforming to the basement plan, with only a slight deviation near the main staircase, runs round the monument. There is ample evidence that this complete plan, from the basement to the top, along with different component elements, belonged to a single period of construction, but the later repairs, additions and alterations did not fundamentally affect the general arrangement and plan.

Mahasthangarh Mahasthangarh, so far the oldest archaeological site of Bangladesh, lies on the western bank of river Karatowa, about 12 km north of Bogra town, and is connected by a good metaled road. The site includes partly Shibganj and partly Bogra sadar of .

In the Mahasthangarh, Karatoya is the major river that passes near the eastern margin and flows towards the south. Three small rivers (ICHAMATI, and NAGAR) are around the Mahasthangarh. East of the Mahasthangarh, the Bangali and Ichamati rivers flow southeast. The Nagar located in the west flows southwest. Many swampy areas, locally known as bees, are also found around the area.

The Mahasthangarh of Bogra district can be conveniently subdivided into two landform units: (1) Barind terrace and (2) Karatoya-Bangali meander floodplain.

Barind terrace situated west of the Karatowa river. This unit represents a series of uplifted blocks of Madhupur Clay, believed to be equivalent in age to the Pleistocene. The greater part of the Barind Tract is undissected and has poorly drained grey soils overlying clay at a shallow depth. Only a few minor rivers cross this almost level area. Two sub-units of the Barind Tracts are: (i) Nearly level Barind Tract, and (ii) Broad dissected Barind Tract.

The nearly level Barind Tract occupies the western part of Bogra district and comprises a low, nearly level, uplifted terrace. Fault scarps mark the edges of the outcrop. The Karatowa and the little jamuna channels run at the foot of these scarps. The level Barind tract includes grey, variably mottled, less permeable soils overlying the little weathered Madhupur Clay at a shallow depth.

The broad dissected Barind Tract is relatively higher than the remainder of the tract and occurs mostly in the eastern and northeastern part of the Barind Tract. The area has been uplifted, tilted and broadly dissected by valleys, most of which are streamless. It is relatively deeply weathered, and has well to moderately well drained red or brown soils.

Karatowa-Bangali meander floodplain a complex landscape containing sediments of diverse ages and origins. Sediments from both the rivers appear to have partially buried an older landscape, which extended up to the lower Tista floodplain. The greater part of this floodplain comprises broad ridges and basins. Silts predominate on the ridges and clays in the basins. Sands occur only patchily on ridges and along river channels.

Mainamati An isolated ridge of low hills in the eastern margins of deltaic Bangladesh, about 8 km to the west of Comilla town is a very familiar name in our cultural heritage, where archaeological excavations have revealed very significant materials. A landmark of our ancient history, it represents a small mass of quasi-lateritic old alluvium. The ridge, set in the vast expanse of the fertile lower Meghna basin, extends for about 17 km north-south from Mainamati village on the Gumti River to Chandi Mura near the Lalmai railway station. In its widest parts, the ridge is about 4.5 km across and its highest peaks attain a height of about 45 metres. These highlands were once thickly wooded with an abundance of wild life, but modern developments have rudely disturbed its serene and idyllic setting.

With an ever-expanding Cantonment at Mainamati, in the northern half of the ridge, and a fast growing township at Kotbari in about its centre, the fairy-tale beauty of the place is already a thing of the past.

The twin names - Lalmai- Mainamati - of the place have significant link with the past: Lalmai or the southern part is identical with Lalambi-vana of the Chandra epigraphs, while the northern part recalls the name of the legendary Chandra queen 'Maynamati', mentioned in local ballads and folk-songs. The archaeological finds have now established beyond any doubt that the cultural and political centre of ancient Vanga-Samatata (southeast Bengal) was located here. The glory and magnitude of that remarkable past is emphatically manifest in the innumerable monuments, mounds and excavated remains, adequately supplemented by an impressive array of stray finds from the area. Mainamati today is, however, better known for its Buddhist remains exposed by excavations. Here, indeed, lies the greatest assemblage of ancient Buddhist remains in Bangladesh.

The Mainamati ruins were rediscovered during the Second World War. While setting up an advance camp, the military came across ancient remains at a number of points in the ridge. In the hurried survey that followed, 18 sites were recognized and protected by the government. In more regular and systematic surveys undertaken between 1955 and 1957, when the entire ridge was undisturbed by human occupation, more than 50 sites were located. Most of those sites lie in the northern half of the ridge, now within the Cantonment.

Bandarban The roof of bangladesh Bandarban Hill district, is situated ninety two km from Chittagong. Bandarban is hometown of the bhomang chief who is the head of the Mogh tribe. The simple and hospitable Moghs are of Myanmar origin and Buddhists by religion, jovial and carefree by nature. Bandarban is also the home of the Murangs who are famous for their music and dances. Several other tribes of great interest live in the remote areas of the district. The highest peak of Bangladesh - Tahjin dong (4632 ft) is located in the .

Golden temple The Budha Dhatu Jadi is well famous as the Golden temple of Bandarban among the travelers and tourists. The temple is the largest in Bangladesh. The second largest Buddha statue in Bangladesh lies there. This religion is practiced by the Marma tribal people, a dominant ethnic group in Bandarban

Nilgiri 47 km southeast from Bandarban town, on a hilltop 2200 feet above sea-level, is situated the Nilgiri resort. Often covered with clouds, this place provides a panoramic view of the landscape.

Rangamati

The lake city Rangamati, located 77 Km. away form Chittagong, is a favorite holiday resort because of its beautiful landscape, lake, numerous colorful tribes, hanging bridge, homespun textile products, ivory jewellery, tribal museum and so on. For tourists the attractions are fishing, speedboat cruising, water skiing, bathing and much more. It is a rare spot for ecotourism. bank of Kaptai Lake. The Lake is a popular spot for tourists, a boat ride in Lake is a rare experience for the tourists.

The township is located on the western bank of Kaptai Lake. The Lake is a popular spot for tourists, a boat ride in Lake is a rare experience for the tourists. Khagrachhari

Khagrachari 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 (of the rest of the three hill districts Rangamati is the 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. Dinajpur

Kantaji Temple The Kantanagar (Kantaji) Temple is an example of the highest achievement in terracotta art in Bangladesh. In this temple the whole scheme of rich terracota ornamentation in figural relief is skillfully interlaced with beautiful floral, geometrical and rosette designs.

Narayanganj Sonargaon 30 Km to the southeast of Dhaka lies Sonargaon, an ancient capital of Bengal. It was the seat of dynasty until the 13th century. From that period onward until the advent of the Mughals, Sonargain was a subsidiary capital of the Sultanate of Bengal.

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About Bangladesh Bangladesh emerged as an independent and sovereign country on 16 December 1971 following a nine-month war of liberation. Dhaka (previously spelt Dacca) is its capital.

Time GMT +6.00 hours.

Area and boundaries Area 147,570 sq km. Boundaries: West Bengal (India) on the west; West Bengal, ASSAM and (all the Indian states) on the north; Indian states of Assam, Tripura and Mizoram together with Myanmar on the east; and Bay of Bengal on the south. The total length of the land border is about 4,246 km, of which 93.9% is shared with India and the rest 6% with Myanmar. Limit of territorial water is 12 nautical miles (22.22 km) and the area of the high seas extending to 200 nautical miles (370.40 km) measured from the baselines constitutes the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Physiography A humid low-lying alluvial region, Bangladesh is composed mainly of the great combined Delta of the Ganges- Brahmaputra-Meghna rivers. It is one of the largest deltas in the world. The monotony of flatness has been relieved inland by two elevated tracts – the Madhupur and the Barind tracts, and on the northeast and southeast by rows of hills. Some 75% of the land is less than 3m above mean sea level (MSL) and vulnerable to floods and cyclones. The maximum elevation is 1,280m above MSL at Saichal Range in Rangamati district. Tajingdong is the highest peak and called as Bijoy.

Rivers Total rivers including tributaries and distributaries are about 700 under three mighty river systems: Ganges-Padma River System, Brahmaputra-Jamuna River System and Surma- System. Rivers of the southeastern hilly region are considered as the Chittagong Region River System. Principal rivers are: Ganges, Padma, Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Surma, Kushiyara, Meghna, Karnafuli, Old Brahmaputra, Arial Khan, Buriganga, Shitalakshya, Tista, Atrai, Gorai, Mdhumoti.

Climate Sub-tropical monsoon. Average maximum and minimum winter temperatures are 29°C and 11°C respectively; average maximum and minimum summer temperatures are 34°C and 21°C respectively. Annual rainfall 1,194 mm to 3,454 mm. Highest humidity 80% to 100% (August-September), lowest 36% (February-March).