Butterfly park opens at Patenga soon
Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) is developing a butterfly park in Patenga area following the model of Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park in Malaysia.Photo: STAR
A park brimming with butterflies of exotic species, first of its kind, is going to open in the port city within next three months. Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) is developing the park, an imitation of a natural habitat congenial for breeding and growth of butterflies, in Patenga area in the city. Alongside a huge net enclosure of butterfly of different species, the park will be painstakingly landscaped with uniquely designed hydro-pond of aquarium fishes, colourful garden, water bodies and artificial fountains to turn into a place of tourist attraction and natural tranquil. Enriched museum and incubator of the park will offer a scope to know about life and life cycles of different species of butterflies with a separate research centre for the entomology students, said the sources. The butterfly park is being developed over 50 kathas of land along the Karnaphuli river to the east of Chittagong air port at Patenga. Work is going on in full swing to complete the development of the park within three months, said the sources at CDA. Petro Products, a private firm, is financing the Tk 7 crore project being implemented under the overall supervision of master architects from CDA. The main component of the park will be a 15,000sq feet butterfly net on the left corner of the park, a few hundred yards off the entry point, sources added. A huge collection of selected flowering trees and shrubs will be grown and artificial fountains erected to maintain temperature and humidity suitable for natural breeding and growth of butterflies. Collection of moths to be developed in the park has already started under the supervision of Prof Shafiq Haider Chowdhury, an entomologist and former teacher of Chittagong University, they said. There will have an observatory deck inside the net for the visitors to have a close look on movements and flight of butterflies. Besides, there will also have a huge flower garden around the net enriched with flowers of both the rare and common species. The master architects and town planners of CDA will collect flower plants according to the suggestion of Prof Shafiq, said Project Director Architect Maharina Jafrin. A huge lake of the park site is being developed into a loop-shaped hydro pond with an open sitting space at the centre. A wonderful Spine Arbour Walk shaded by flowering trees and shrubs will lead to the sitting space. Beside the hydro pond, there will be a 30-foot high fountain to maintain required temperature and humidity, Jafrin said. Two water bodies inside the park will also be developed as cruising areas. A three-storey restaurant-cum-observation deck overlooking the river Karnaphuli as well as the Bay of Bengal will be erected in one of the water bodies. A museum-cum-incubator will be set up on the west corner of the park. Life cycles and bodies of different species of butterflies preserved in herbarium sheets will be displayed inside the museum. The incubator inside the museum will be used as a healing centre. Besides, there will be a huge research centre just outside the park, they said. CDA Chairman said, “The butterfly park is being developed on the underutilised land and water bodies of CDA.” “We won't have to spend anything from our fund for the park that would be of a great tourist attraction and ecological value,” he said. “Rather the firm financing the park will pay Tk 1 lakh a month to CDA for running it with entry money,” he added.
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