Picture perfect views, natural wonders lure global travelers to Bangladesh’s Bandarban

By Naim-Ul-Karim
DHAKA, March 23 (Xinhua)– With Bangladesh’s southeastern Bandarban district offering stunning panoramic vistas of beautiful hills and luscious forests, it’s no wonder that the area is one of the country’s key tourist destinations attracting thousands of people, from backpackers to billionaires, each year.
An ideal place for trekking, hiking and jungle walks for the more adventurous, Bandarban attracts tourists from all corners of the globe.
Lofty hills, dense forests, sprawling grasslands and impressive lakes greet tourists on most of Bandarban’s popular routes, which lie some 316 km southeast of capital Dhaka.
It is one of the three districts that make up Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts, the others being the Rangamati and Khagrachhari districts, which nature has embellished with its majestically green ornaments.
The district, which can be found eight hours away from Dhaka by bus, paves the way for tourists to see the rich flora and fauna, picturesque bamboo cottages of tribal families and their unique lifestyle.
Tourists can see and buy products made by the tribal people who live scattered over the hills in Bandarban. There are about 14 different tribes like Mogh, Murong Chakma, Khumi, Tipra, Bawm, Tanchongya and Khyang.
Meem Ahmed, a homemaker, along with her husband and kids visited Bandarban recently from Dhaka.
“I’ve come here to enjoy the natural beauty of Bandarban. I feel amazing. I’m a house wife. I have come here with my husband and kids and we have already visited a number of naturally beautiful sites. I feel great.”
For college student Nafisa Hossain Bandarban, the Bandarban visit has created huge excitement.
“It’s a huge experiment for me. The environment is very nice here and it’s nice I can stay here for so long. I will tell everyone to visit this area. At least I can say that anyone choosing to visit here will not regret the time they spend.”
Some of the visitors who talked to Xinhua, however, mentioned the necessity of protecting the environment and ecosystems of the naturally enriched Bandarban tourist sites.
Minhas, going by his first name, said he is a software engineer. This place (Bandarban) lacks enough precautionary measures which are needed to maintain such a naturally beautiful place as a popular tourist spot.
“Once upon a time in these regions, people could see leopards and tigers, but today they don’t exist here because we have already damaged the environment.”
Echoing a similar view, lecturer Bandana Nandi said it is not only Bangladesh’s treasure but rather a global treasure.
“We must protect Bandarban’s natural beauty forever,”he said.  Enditem