Khagrachhari tourism needs a boost
Left, Deboter Pukur, pond of god, situated 1000 feet above the sea level at Nunchhari is an attractive tourist spot at Sadar upazila in Khagrachhari. Right, Reechang waterfall is one of the most attractive tourist spots, some 14km off the district headquarters. Photo: JASIM MAJUMDER
A little attention to developing easy access to tourist spots and an atmosphere of security can help potential tourism in the hill beset and forest-clad district of Khagrachhari flourish. The scenic beauty of Khagrachhari draws huge tourists from home and abroad here, said Khagrachhari district administration sources. The tourists get impressed to see the diversified culture and lifestyle and love to enrich their stock of souvenirs, collecting cottage or handicraft items from Khagrachhari, they said. But most of the impressive tourist spots are yet to be developed properly when lack of roads or waterways make it difficult for the tourists or visitors to reach these spots. Sources at Khagrachhari Parjatan Motel said they did not get expected number of tourists in last six month. Expansion of the motel or cottages with architectural designs, arrangements for comfortable stay, development of other facilities and sense of safety could have increased the number of tourists and revenue several times higher from this sector, they said. Khagrachhari Parjatan Motel has received about 5828 tourists in 2009 while 4000 in 2007. The 50-seat motel earned Tk 58 lakh last year from 5828 tourists, including 408 foreigners. The tourists are fascinated to see the panoramic spots of hilly Khagrachhari as Thengamara Mahila Sabuj Sangha (TMSS), an NGO, has taken the charge of the motel for over two years and trying to improve service and facilities, sources said. Around 40,000 tourists visited Khagrachhari last year staying in hotels, motels, rest houses or guest houses in the district. The huge number of tourists also helped people related with tourism or involved with hotel business to earn around Tk 2 crore, sources said. Rikta Tripura, a sales representative of a textile, said they have earned over Tk 2 lakh only in last two months selling local cottage products including Thami, Gamcha, Lungi, Chador, shirts, moneybags and other things. The sale would surely increase further with arrival of increasing number of tourists or visitors, she said. But lack of proper projection about the tourist spots and facilities for easy access there discourage the tourists to visit many spots rich with bio-diversity as well as natural beauty and thus remain unknown to the prospective tourists. Moreover, wilderness in true sense as well as the ethnic and cultural diversity, different life styles of Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Santals, Pankho and Rakhaine attract the tourists, they added. Mong Mongshi Chowdhury, a TMSS official, said there are many attractive tourist spots including Alu Tilla Parjatan Complex, Reechang Natural Waterfall, Deboter Pukur (pond of god), Ramgohr tourist spots, Panchhari Aranya Kuthir, Dighinala hanging bridge, the Chenghi and Mainee rivers and Krishi Gabeshana. Khagrachhari Parjatan Motel Manager A N M Ziaul Karim said the number of tourists has increased this year compared to last year. Most of them are locals. There are many government and private rest houses, motels, hotels and guesthouses here and the tourists can avail these at a very reasonable rate, Ziaul said, adding that the environment and qualities are not always maintained. The communication is not smooth as expected as roads are narrow to go to the tourist spots while transport companies are not launching comfortable bus services here, he said. Additional Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Salauddin told the Daily Star that they have asked some transport companies to start their services here and hoped it would come true within couple of months. Md Amir Jafar, acting superintendent of district police, said adequate security measures have been taken for both the local and foreign tourists. The infrastructure facilities have to be developed to ensure better security, he added.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments