I've never been to Bangladesh, but hope to travel there sometime in the future.

You are most welcome. :)

Salaam Bangladeshi forumers. why don`t you make request for a Bangladeshi forum ?? I really like Bangladesh it`s our not-so-far neighbour, I hope you can ask the admin to make Bangladeshi forum. Bangladesh is very beautiful country and I have many Bangladeshi frens-- they are very cooooooooooooooooll and I always stick with them !

Tourism sector earns Tk 4.5 billion in ‘06
Bazlur Rahman
1/19/2007

Despite significant decline in the number of tourists who visited Bangladesh in 2006 the flow of income from this particular sector showed no fall in the period. It earned around Tk 4.5 billion in 2006.
The tourism sector in the country attracted around 2,00,000 visitors from January to December 2006 against 2,07,000 in 2005 and 2,71,000 in 2004.
Amid all the obstacles faced by the tourism sector in the country in 2006 including the political turmoil during the last few months, lack of security for the visitors and paucity of adequate recreational arrangement the sector earned almost the same amount as in the previous year -- Tk 4.494 billion, a high official of the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation (BTC) said.
Both the number of visitors and the amount of income from the tourism sector registered significant growth during the years from 2000 to 2004. But the number of visitors showed a drastic fall in 2005 though the level of income was high, according to the statistics of BTC.
About the declining number of visitors who came to Bangladesh in 2006, a BTC official said the political turmoil in 2006 created circumstances of fear, tension and anxiety making a negative impression in the minds of the prospective tourists of different countries.
Asked about the positive level of income even in the wake of the declining number of tourists in 2006, the official said in nominal terms the earnings give positive signal but in reality the real income has fallen if inflation is taken into account.
The visitors who came to Bangladesh numbered 1,99,211 in 2000, 2,07,199 in 2001, 2,07, 246 in 2002 and 2,44,509 in 2003 registering growth in number on year-to-year basis, BTC statistics showed.
The sector fetched Tk 2.627 billion in 2000, Tk 2.654 billion in 2001, Tk 3.312 billion in 2002, Tk 3.310 billion in 2003, Tk 3.967 billion in 2004 and Tk 4.494 billion in 2005.
About the security issues of tourists an official said recently they, in line with the law enforcing agencies, have requested local law enforcers to provide foolproof security when tourists are on a visit to any place in the country.
Despite having tremendous potentials the country's tourism sector has not thrived due to lack of proper initiatives by the authorities concerned and the negative propaganda by the world press about Bangladesh.

http://www.financialexpress-bd.com/index3.asp?cnd=1/19/2007&section_id=7&newsid=49889&spcl=no

Salaam Bangladeshi forumers. why don`t you make request for a Bangladeshi forum ?? I really like Bangladesh it`s our not-so-far neighbour, I hope you can ask the admin to make Bangladeshi forum. Bangladesh is very beautiful country and I have many Bangladeshi frens-- they are very cooooooooooooooooll and I always stick with them !

Thank you for your suggestions and positive comments. We appreciate it!

We have made the request through a Bangladeshi forum roll call. But unfortunately our requests fell into deaf ears and as a result we didn't get it. However, we are keeping our fingers crossed!!

Thank you for your suggestions and positive comments. We appreciate it!

We have made the request through a Bangladeshi forum roll call. But unfortunately our requests fell into deaf ears and as a result we didn't get it. However, we are keeping our fingers crossed!!

Yes, even I have contacted administrator Jan through mail but no response yet about our own subforu, :ohno:

Yes, even I have contacted administrator Jan through mail but no response yet about our own subforu, :ohno:

Yaa? so did i but he just told that bangladesh will eventually get a forum but not now. I don't think its that bad though that we don't have our own forum. The current format is giving bangldesh more exposure and allowing people to see bangadesh who wouldn't otherwise go into a bangladesh subforum.

Minarets, an inseparable part of Bangladesh, photos courtesy of Ragib Hassan from Banglawikipedia
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/118/364346927_49ecf6f753.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/142/364347201_4915d84a92.jpg?v=0

i think creating more threads with different topics rather than posting in one thread could help us having our own subforum

I agree with alladin 100%. I think having different threads under different topics would help us to achieve our goal of having our own subforum more effectively than having different news topics jumbled together under one same thread.

I think we have made a strong enough case for a subforum. We are the most active members of the General Asian forum. We do not need to keep trying to get the attention of the moderators - they know well enough, and there is no good reason as to why they have not yet granted our request. I won't create bad blood by speculating why - it's their website after all.

Personally I think it creates unnecessary clutter by having lots of small threads which could be organized under a broader one. But that's just my own opinion, and at any rate we are off topic - this one is better suited for skybar.

Thanks again to all those posting photos! I think Bangladesh should create national parks to limit development in relatively unspoilt areas such as St. Martin's and certain parts of the Hill Tracts, so that they do not become dirty and overcrowded. But in Bangladesh, that's probably wishful thinking.

But actually sometimes I think it`s better not to make Bangladeshi thread because nobody from outside would visit it cuz it might attract only Bangladeshi forumers. If you put it here in open forum then everyone would turn their eye onto it.

Bangladesh is very beautiful country with wonderful culture ! Dhaka is a very fast growing city . I plan to visit Bangladesh within Summer next year. I think Air Asia will already lauched cheap flights straight into Dhaka at that time

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/99/303483748_cbcae61dc3_b.jpg

A colorful boat - these are for rentals. Popular among tourists.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/145/368282773_55732539b8_o.jpg

Jaflong

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/98/364653165_48f3d901a3_o.jpg

Srimangal

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/123/364652133_aed7e3859f_o.jpg

Kaliganj
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/142/367244158_69b9d72119.jpg?v=0

Another buddhist temple

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/160/368283006_f8cd6c2b9d_o.jpg

Not really related to tourism per se, but I wasn't going to start a thread over it: misty winter morning in Bangladesh countryside. Rice fields are now dry after the harvest.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/DSC00036.jpg

I think we have made a strong enough case for a subforum. We are the most active members of the General Asian forum. We do not need to keep trying to get the attention of the moderators - they know well enough, and there is no good reason as to why they have not yet granted our request. I won't create bad blood by speculating why - it's their website after all.

I completely agree with you on this. THe Bangladeshi threads have been the most active in the general section but we are yet to get our own subforum. Not only is this unfortunate but it also does not reflect well on the moderators and admins of the forum regarding their duty.

St Martins Island

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/stmartinsisland12.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/stmartinsisland13.jpg

A Rose garden near Shahriatpur

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/rosegarden.jpg

A fancy tourist boat

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/touristboat5.jpg

A village road

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/treesandstreet.jpg

Cox's Bazar beach

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/coxsbazar30.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/coxsbazar31.jpg

Cox's Bazar Hill

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/coxsbazar32.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/coxsbazar33.jpg

Shadabari Sonargaon
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/374567170_82b296b6cd.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/90/374569043_08bb47fb34.jpg?v=0

I will go for a trip for a Srimangal today but unfortunately my camera is out of order.

that's a bummer.

I'm back but the good thing is maybe one of my friends will give me the pics. with a pen drive and then I can upload the photos- trust me, they are amazing. But its gonna take around 4-5 days before I get them.

I'm back but the good thing is maybe one of my friends will give me the pics. with a pen drive and then I can upload the photos- trust me, they are amazing. But its gonna take around 4-5 days before I get them.


Eagerly waiting to see your pics man

I'm back.


That was a quick trip.

Would love to see some pics!

Ya, I wish I had more time, it was a wonderful place. I actually got only 1 day to roam around. It will take around 3-4 days before I get the pics. but I will post them soon Insha Allah.

Jamuna Resort

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/jamunaresort22.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/jamunaresort23.jpg

Ya, I wish I had more time, it was a wonderful place. I actually got only 1 day to roam around. It will take around 3-4 days before I get the pics. but I will post them soon Insha Allah.

Eagerly waiting for your pics of that quick trip.I love tea-gardens...

A Buddhist Pagoda in Cox's Bazar

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/buddhistpagoda5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/buddhistpagoda6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/buddhistpagoda7.jpg

Inani Beach

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/inanibeach4.jpg

Cox's Bazar beach

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/coxsbazarbeach31.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/coxsbazarbeach30.jpg

Cox's Bazar Marina Drive

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/coxsbazarmarinadrive5.jpg

Terraces of young rubber trees at the rubber plantation in Srimangal, Sylhet.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/381688072_af20004245_b.jpg

Coral Reef, St. Martin's Island

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/374099152_a3f31e6207_o.jpg

Anyone, know anyplace which can host photos of large size, you know quite a few mega-bytes cuz I've gotta post my Srimongol photos but I've to scan them first and scanned photos take quite a lot of space. If I want to wait for the photos which my friends took with digital cameras it will take days......

Anyone, know anyplace which can host photos of large size, you know quite a few mega-bytes cuz I've gotta post my Srimongol photos but I've to scan them first and scanned photos take quite a lot of space. If I want to wait for the photos which my friends took with digital cameras it will take days......
well after scaning you can convert them to gif format (not an animation)

the size will reduce!

Thanks Dopekhor, I'll try it first thing tomorrow.

Kantazir Temple

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/kantazirtemple10.jpg

Natore Rajbari

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/NatoreRajbari7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/NatoreRajbari6.jpg

Natore Gonobhaban

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/NatoreRajbari9.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/NatoreRajbari8.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/NatoreRajbari5.jpg

Himchori, Cox's Bazar

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Coxbazar_Himchari_1.jpg

Lured by the Beach Side of a Beleaguered Land in Bangladesh - A New York Times article
By JEFF KOYEN
Published: December 24, 2006

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/12/24/travel/next_600.jpg

It was a crisp and gorgeous day, and there were fewer than 100 people on Inani Beach, a wide swath of powdery white sand stretching from horizon to horizon along Bangladesh’s southeastern tip. It is part of a sandy stretch that measures 75 miles tip to tip, and is often called the world’s longest beach, but it felt more like the loneliest.

I was lounging on a rented deck chair for several hours last April on sand as soft and flat as the Bay of Bengal itself, spread out like a freshly paved road. Rows of spindly firs swayed in the salty breeze. And the only interruptions were the young Bangladeshis who would fetch me a lukewarm cola for a small baksheesh, or tip.

There are no Jet Skis, no motorboats and no cars — just the splashing of the bath-warm water. Pedal-powered rickshaws idled on the dirt road. Wooden fishing boats bobbed gently on the dark green water, like pirate ships of yore. It was so quiet, in fact, that wearing headphones would seem somehow rude, even if you were listening to George’s Harrison’s “Bangladesh.”

For a certain generation, that’s how this country is best remembered: for the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh that Harrison and his friends, including the Bengali musician Ravi Shankar, held to raise money for famine relief in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh still rarely makes the news unless there’s a devastating flood,a disease outbreak or political turmoil, as was the case last month when strikes related to next month’s elections paralyzed the country and left at least two dead. (At travel.state.gov/travel, the State Department has cautioned Americans that it “expects the situation throughout Bangladesh to remain uncertain through January.”)

But this impoverished, overpopulated and beleaguered country is quietly drawing tourists. While many if not most of Bangladesh’s visitors come from India, more Westerners are discovering this undeveloped stretch along the eastern edge of the Bay of Bengal as a less traveled and cheaper alternative to Bali and Thailand.

Wedged into northeastern India and along a short border with Myanmar (formerly Burma), this fertile sea-level land straddles the Tropic of Cancer and is intercut by the Ganges, Jamuna and Meghna Rivers on their way to the Bay of Bengal. It has marshy jungles crisscrossed by innumerable streams, wide tracts of unspoiled beaches and the Sundarbans in the southwest, the largest mangrove forest in the world and home of the royal Bengal tiger.

And much of it, refreshingly, is free of tourists. Indeed, the country’s tourist board has adopted the slogan “Visit Bangladesh Before Tourists Come.”

With 147 million people occupying roughly the same area as Iowa, Bangladesh is among the most densely populated nations on earth. It’s also a Muslim nation.. As such, every experience is informed by Islam, from the morning prayers broadcast from tall citadels to the near absence of liquor stores and anything resembling Western night life.

I started my monthlong visit in Dhaka, the swirling and chaotic capital on the Buriganga River. One doesn’t enjoy a casual stroll through Dhaka. A trip to the city’s center means bushwhacking through throngs of garishly decorated rickshaws, buses held together by Bondo putty and taxis that belch and wheeze around the clock.

Dhaka is also not the most pleasant-smelling city; a hint of sewage and humanity always hangs in the hot and sticky air.

I didn’t stay long. Like most travelers, I made my way to Cox’s Bazar, a bustling town on that same long stretch of beach as Inani. The trip from Dhaka was a harrowing 10 hours in a ramshackle former school bus. This was not a peaceful journey: Bangladeshi drivers are not known for staying in their lanes.

But just miles away from frenzied, industrialized Dhaka, the landscape changed dramatically and revealed a verdant, flat land covered by hand-tended rice fields and palm trees hanging lazily in the heat. Tiny ponds, green from algae, dotted the countryside like puddles after a rainstorm. Children bathed and played and waved excitedly at passing buses.

Cox’s Bazar may be a beach town, but in some ways it feels like a big city. With narrow dirty roads that are jam-packed from sunrise to well-past sunset, it is a smaller version of Dhaka — unnerving, unkempt and madcap. But it is also the epicenter of Bangladesh’s tourism, and the favored staging ground for visitors heading out to the pristine white sand beaches and balmy, shark-free waters.

Though the beach stretches for miles to the north and south, most visitors are content to sit on the sands at Cox’s Bazar itself. They’re free, open to the public and so expansive that it’s nearly impossible to feel crowded.

For Westerners trying to blend in, hitting the beach Bangladeshi-style means leaving the bikini at home. Beachgoers dress is if they were going to work. Men are clad in slacks and dress shirts — some even wear ties. Their wives, without exception, wear traditional saris. Even the children are dressed modestly in long pants and button-downs. And no one swims as much as they wade in the warm water, their pant legs and saris hiked up to their knees.

You won’t come across many Westerners, but that may change. Beachfront plots are being snapped up by hoteliers hoping to develop the tropical sandbar into a tourist strip. Several high-end hotels catering to well-heeled foreigners have already opened.

Among the newest is the self-described “five star” Seagull Hotel, a short walk from the aptly named Hotel Road, a couple of miles south of the town’s center. Soaring above the evergreens that line the beach, its mirrored glass and white-concrete facade stands in stark contrast to the town’s modest and dusty red-brick shacks. It looks more like a suburban American office building than a beachfront resort.

The hotel has 182 Holiday Inn-style rooms, a restaurant that serves pizza, a beauty salon, a private walkway to the beach and a big swimming pool, where, on a Monday afternoon, a handful of European men were discussing business. But otherwise, the hotel felt empty.

Still, at $60 a night for a double room with ocean views, there’s no denying its appeal. Moreover, the service is prompt, professional and friendly.

In fact, everywhere you go in Cox’s Bazar (or Bangladesh, for that matter) the people are friendly to a fault. Like gnats on a hot afternoon, clouds of children and grown men swarm around foreigners as they walk down the street, eat at a restaurant or sit down for a haircut. At first, this may come across as aggressive, but you soon realize it is their way of showing hospitality.

I learned this firsthand on a day trip to Moheshkali, an island a few miles offshore from Cox’s Bazar where Burmese refugees live in peaceful accord with Bangladeshis and a Hindu minority, giving this tiny fishing island an unusual air of multiculturalism.

Since this was at the tail end of the dry season, the weather was prone to sudden downpours. So while the sky was clear and the waters smooth when I boarded the ferry that morning, menacing thunderclouds and violent lighting awaited my return a few hours later.

As the ferry — actually, a 10-person powerboat — rocked and rolled across the bay, tossed like an injured duckling in the chop, a young man leaned in and yelled in English: “Hey, American! Are you scared?”

Truth be told, I wasn’t. Since arriving in Bangladesh, I’d survived a 10-hour game of chicken in a hand-me-down bus, ridden shotgun in rickety rickshaws that tipped over regularly, and pushed through narrow alleys packed three-deep with nervous cows. What’s a little seasickness?

But this man wasn’t antagonizing me; he was striking up a conversation. Back on terra firma, the young man, Muhammad, a high school teacher, invited me to a nearby cafe, where we dried off and enjoyed sweet tea and even sweeter pastries.

To repay his kindness, I visited his class the next morning, where I gave an impromptu English lesson. Once again, I was invited to tea, this time by a doe-eyed student eager to learn more about America. I graciously declined; this back-and-forth generosity could have gone on for days — and I wanted to get back to the beach.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/12/24/travel/24next.html?pagewanted=1&ref=travel

A beach in Cox's Bazar

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/coxbazarbeach30.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/coxbazarbeach31.jpg

Thanks as always for all your contributions, Tmac. Natore Ganobhaban is one of the best zamindar mansions in Bangladesh, so its great to see it in a good state of preservation.
Do you know which beach is pictured in those last two pics? Is that the main Cox's Bazar beach, or is that further south?

nop, this is surely not the main beach laboni point. Are these pics taken from Inani beach?

Chimbuk Hill

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/184/391895234_dcbf1173d1_b.jpg

Kite Festival 2007 in St. Martin Beach

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/136/395257429_8cbec87e80_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/186/395257193_45efbbb6f6_b.jpg

Chera Island, Saint Martin

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/136/395253454_db8e1ecc22_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/128/395254469_abb620c681_b.jpg

Chera Island, Saint Martin

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/123/395253789_65cf115373_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/173/395248989_3034576438_b.jpg

St. Martin Island

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/395252295_7247a2faca_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/395260266_b6103b0100_b.jpg

St. Martin Island

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/151/395261546_3e8cae2d3d_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/135/395261114_d286177492_b.jpg

Sunrise in St. Martins Island

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/146/395258932_5991673163_b.jpg

Sunset in St. Martins Island

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/395259350_a3e627e8fa_b.jpg

I hope some discretion is exercised on how St. Martin's is developed - too much development, or the wrong type of development, would spoil the beauty of this special place. Thanks for the pics!

Mahasthangarh, Bogra - the oldest civilization found in this area.


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/146/395371762_fbd7cbbe54_o.jpg

Entry of Rajbari (Kings Palace), Natore

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/145/395375214_00bb681b61_o.jpg

St. Martin will be best left untouched. In a rich country it would be possible to create an artificial island a few miles off and build a few 5 stars there but since thats not possible, best would be create excellent transport system.

Kuakata Beach - a hidden gem in south-western Bangladesh

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/128/401634270_2523c822b7_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/146/401634275_cc36f3fac5_b.jpg

Dress Up while on the beach?

^^ You will find that norms of modesty vary considerably from one part of the world to another :) .

I've never been to Kuakata, but it looks like tourism there has really caught on. Back when I lived in Bangladesh, I didn't hear of anyone going there - the only time I saw pictures of the place was in Parjatan tourist books.

Kuakata is lagging behind Cox's bazar quite a bit. Transportation to Kuakata isn't too good either. So, the place needs quite a bit of development to catch up to Cox's bazar.

Cox's Bazar Beach

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/399632622_2cb8a25e22_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/398281101_0b594686a6_b.jpg

Naaf River

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/399624954_cfd10c1e5f_b.jpg

Saint Martin

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/156/399624951_30bef1fbef_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/127/399620029_26cc612d0e_b.jpg

St. Martin

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/168/399622467_c6409b7b70_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/399624943_b908c91944_b.jpg

St. Martin

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/180/399620027_7444235f19_b.jpg

37 Banglalink youths clean Cox's Bazar sea beach

Being inspired by social responsibility, cell phone operator Banglalink has engaged more then 37 youths to clean the Cox's Bazar sea beach.

Unemployed youths, who earlier were involved in different antisocial offenses, are now working to clean the beach area in the morning and afternoon. Rest of the time they go to school and learn Bengali, English and Mathematics under Banglalink arrangements.

The beach area remains clean most of the time nowadays. Banglalink youths pick up all the wastages of 7.5 kilometers long sea beach.

Banglalink Media officer Yasir Haider Chowdhury told a group of journalists that nearly 70,000 tourists visit Cox's Bazar during peak time. Banglalink has taken the cleanliness programme to raise awareness among the tourists, he said.

He also said Banglalink has provided 750 umbrellas and 250 sun beds in the beach area to facilitate tourists during leisure time. He informed that this project would be continued.

He further said, Banglalink engaged the vagabond and poor youths in this programme to rehabilitate and bring them in the lane of working forces.

http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/publish/article_34320.shtml

Some of the beach side restaurants in Cox's Bazar. They are always filled with tourists.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/coxsbazarbeach63.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/coxsbazarnightlife.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/403739530_fedfe1d7ba_b.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/coxsbazarbeach44.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/coxsbazarbeach48.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/coxsbazarbeach47.jpg

Cox's Bazar beach

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/coxsbazarbeach45.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/coxsbazarbeach46.jpg

60 dome mosque in Bagerhat

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/sixtydomemosque5.jpg

This one is a BIG WOW. It is so serene.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/398281101_0b594686a6_b.jpg

A mustard field

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/156/395685111_e0ba02aef3_o.jpg

^^ @ ncbmandy:
The main beach at Cox's bazar can get crowded in high season. But, if you are adventurous, you can drive south - the beach stretches unbroken for many miles right to the tip of Bangladesh. You should easily find a beach all to yourself.

Things change a lot...when I was kid, Cox's Bazar was a lot more pristine, and when you went to the beach early it would be carpeted with bright red crabs that would go away when you came close...more people, less animals. Back in those days, there was even a monkey living on top of my house. I don't suppose you see any monkeys in Dhaka these days :) .

^^ How long ago was that?

Are you that old?: nuts:

I am being sarcastic.

^^ Well, you know those 19th century pics in the historic photos thread I started? Those were actually taken by me. I did not take credit for them previously, but since you asked... I do have pics from that Cox's Bazar trip somewhere, but probably best not to post here :).

And there was a monkey living on top of the roof our house in Old Dhaka when I was a kid. This is not a particularly good thing though - he liked to steal fruit and make hostile faces at you :shocked: .

another fancy restaurant by the beach in Cox's Bazar

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/406677135_8c7fd4e960_b.jpg

An old temple near Moheskhali

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/181/406677124_c27b98d4fd_o.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/tourism5.jpg

Tmac, you need to quit vacationing on the beach and get back to work like the rest of us!

One of my personal pleasures in browsing this thread has been to see some good pictures of some of the zamindar mansions which dot the Bangladeshi countryside. Of those buildings located outside Dhaka, Tmac has posted pictures of Murapara Palace (Narayanganj), Dhonbari Nawab's Palace (Tangail), Puthia Palace, Dighapatia Palace (Natore), Natore Rajbari, and Tajhat Palace (Rangpur).

Soo...can anyone name the largest zamindar mansion in Bangladesh? Tmac solved my last quiz in about 0.1 seconds. See if you can solve this one, Tmac! Muhahahaha! :devil:

(I will post the answer tonight unless someone gets it right first.)

To the best of my knowlege, the largest zamindar mansion in Bangladesh is the Baliati Palace near Manikganj. Originally the building consisted of five principal sections of which four survive today. The surviving part of the building has a frontage of over 400 ft. The family fortune of these zamindars was established by one Govinda Ram Saha in the 18th century. The mansion was built in the 19th century. One member of this family, Babu Kishori Lal Ray Chaudhuri, founded the famous Jagannath College in Dhaka. Unfortunately I do not have any good pictures of this structure, just the ones you see below. Then again, I live 10,000 miles away - maybe one of our forumers living in Bangladesh could help out: I would love to see some better quality pics. How wonderful this building would look if restored, but alas its fate so far seems to be that of most of our historic structures. For anyone interested in visiting, it is located only 35 miles from Dhaka, 5 miles outside Manikganj.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/untitled.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/untitled6.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/untitled2.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/untitled3.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/untitled4.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/untitled5.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/untitled7.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/untitled8.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/untitled9.jpg

Actually I like the beaches!

Tmac, you need to quit vacationing on the beach and get back to work like the rest of us!

One of my personal pleasures in browsing this thread has been to see some good pictures of some of the zamindar mansions which dot the Bangladeshi countryside. Of those buildings located outside Dhaka, Tmac has posted pictures of Murapara Palace (Narayanganj), Dhonbari Nawab's Palace (Tangail), Puthia Palace, Dighapatia Palace (Natore), Natore Rajbari, and Tajhat Palace (Rangpur).

Soo...can anyone name the largest zamindar mansion in Bangladesh? Tmac solved my last quiz in about 0.1 seconds. See if you can solve this one, Tmac! Muhahahaha! :devil:

(I will post the answer tonight unless someone gets it right first.)


Largest.....is it in Sonargaon?:ohno:

^^ @ Dhakaiya: I like the beach photos too - my comment was a joke. I doubt Tmac is on the beach at this moment.

With regard to your question, I have already posted pictures of Baliati Palace - it is in Manikganj, not Sonargaon (look at my last post in this thread).

Also - aren't you going to post some Srimangal pics from your recent mini-trip?

Is there any data about no. of tourist visited Bangladesh last year?

Personally, I do not have any data, but there are not very many tourists. There are two reasons - first, there are no Wonders of the World in Bangladesh, and second, all most people know about Bangladesh is that it is a poor country with floods. However, just because there are no World Wonders here, does not mean that there is nothing to do. There is no Taj Mahal, but there are many charming old buildings and few nice new ones too. There is no Mt Everest, but in a small space you have not only a very fertile delta but also jungles, hills, beaches, etc. Most of all there is a rich and old culture. The tourist infrastructure in Bangladesh is not that well developed, and caters mostly to the local populace, but most experienced travellers should not have any major problems. If you visit South Asia only one time in your life, then I would say go to India. But if you have more time, or want go beyond the usual tourist magnets, then certainly a trip to Bangladesh can be a rewarding experience. If you do visit, then plan ahead, unless you have a local friend to take you around. Lonely Planet publishes a very nice guidebook which I would recommend purchasing and reading first. In Bangladesh, the National Tourism (Parjatan) Corporation can be of assistance.

beach? Far from it. It is cold in New Jersey. Come summer time I will be hitting the Jersey shore though. Some nice beaches there.

@Tmac: We have nicer beaches here in the Carolinas! If you are ever down this way, stop by and say hello!

Is there any data about no. of tourist visited Bangladesh last year?

Here you go..

In the year of 2005-06, nearly 300,000 tourists visited Bangladesh and it earned more than Tk 4000 million but in 2004-05 271,270 tourists arrived here and the country fetched Tk 3,967.56 million against the earning of Tk 3,310.00 million in 2003-04.
The number of arrivals has increased over the years registering 199,211 in 2000, 207,199 in 2001, 207,246 in 2002,244,509 in 2003, 271,270 in 2004 and nearly 300,000 in 2005, but it is specifically clear that this number is very low compared with the potential Bangladesh has.

http://www.financialexpress-bd.com/index3.asp?cnd=10/31/2006&section_id=7&newsid=42100&spcl=no

These are foreign tourists. I think we can do much better than that.

@Tmac: We have nicer beaches here in the Carolinas! If you are ever down this way, stop by and say hello!

I have driven to Florida twice and passed through the Carolinas. Myrtle Beach sounds nice. I once stayed in Florence, South Carolina.

Here you go..

In the year of 2005-06, nearly 300,000 tourists visited Bangladesh and it earned more than Tk 4000 million but in 2004-05 271,270 tourists arrived here and the country fetched Tk 3,967.56 million against the earning of Tk 3,310.00 million in 2003-04.
The number of arrivals has increased over the years registering 199,211 in 2000, 207,199 in 2001, 207,246 in 2002,244,509 in 2003, 271,270 in 2004 and nearly 300,000 in 2005, but it is specifically clear that this number is very low compared with the potential Bangladesh has.

http://www.financialexpress-bd.com/index3.asp?cnd=10/31/2006&section_id=7&newsid=42100&spcl=no

These are foreign tourists. I think we can do much better than that.

clearsky, thanks for the info.

Mainamati, Comilla

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/161/406706306_57dc225b73_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/141/406968282_3465da1541_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/144/406706304_d93131768f_b.jpg

Mainamati Museum, Comilla

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/182/406706300_44b7b0c16f_b.jpg

^^ @ Dhakaiya: I like the beach photos too - my comment was a joke. I doubt Tmac is on the beach at this moment.

With regard to your question, I have already posted pictures of Baliati Palace - it is in Manikganj, not Sonargaon (look at my last post in this thread).

Also - aren't you going to post some Srimangal pics from your recent mini-trip?

Ohh sorry, you see the thing is that I after clicking on Post Reply I minimize and continue other work. So I didn't see your reply coming up before mine-So sorry. BTW- that Tmac thing, I know he is not at the beach, the photos are from Flickr, its just that I LUVVVVV Cox's Bazaar! :cheers:

I have driven to Florida twice and passed through the Carolinas. Myrtle Beach sounds nice. I once stayed in Florence, South Carolina.

Myrtle Beach is a little too commercialized for my taste, but that depends on your preference. The best place to visit in South Carolina is Charleston (I lived there for five years) - you have the historic downtown and gardens as well as nicer beaches than you have at Myrtles Beach: it is one of nicest medium sized cities in the US. In some ways Charleston is a little like Bangladesh in that, whenever there is rain, the streets will flood, and every so often, there is a big hurricane. The low country of South Carolina (the area along the coast in the south of the state) in fact, looks a lot like Bangladesh. I would often drive from downtown Charleston to walk on a pier at the beach, and think, this is how Bangladesh will look when it is developed!

To tell the truth there is not much in Florence. Currently I am in Columbia, SC which is an OK medium sized town, but I will be moving around the middle of this year. I like to go to north of the state as well as western North Carolina, where you have the Blue Ridge Mountains, and hike to some of the waterfalls there. That's how I became interested in finding out more about the waterfalls in Bangladesh. One of my personal wishes is to go to Bandarban and find the falls near Lulaing Peak which I mentioned earlier in this thread.

Thx for the quick reply
I hope Bangladesh govt can keep the effort to build its tourism

:okay:

A few more zamindar mansions in Bangladesh (if you missed my post about Baliati Palace, please check the previous page on this thread - I would love to see some good photos of that building):

Taras Rajbari in Pabna (Rajbari = Palace for you non-Bengalis):
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/001670.jpg

I am not sure where this one is, but possibly near Pabna:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/001671.jpg

Mymensingh Rajbari:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/001667.jpg

Mymensingh Rajbari is actually one of the best of the zamindar mansions, but unfortunately I do not have any other pics to do it justice.

Those mansions are jewel. It should be renovated and preserved it's good for tourism.

Let's take a cruise on Kaptai Lake and find ourselves a few waterfalls:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ranga14.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ranga3.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ranga7.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ranga4.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ranga1.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ranga8.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ranga6.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ranga5.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ranga10.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ranga9.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ranga11.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ranga12.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/ranga13.jpg

Tan, those are some great photos of the Zamindar mansions. I have never seen those before.

Thanks Tmac. There are many other such palaces in Bangladesh. I was glad to see in some your pics, that Dhonbari and Tajhat palaces have been restored as tourist sites and hotels. Hopefully a similar fate can befall some of our other historic manors. They could be a great asset to advance tourism in Bangladesh. If you made them into hotels, for example, a tourist visiting Paharpur could stay overnight at Dinajpur or Tajhat Palace, etc.

Some of the more important zamindar mansions, of which I have no pictures (except a few fuzzy ones in books), are Gauripur Palace, Joydevpur Palace, Teota Palace, Muktagacha Rajbari, Dinajpur Rajbari, and Sitlai Palace (Pabna). I would love to see some good pics of these buildings. I did post some pics of Baliati Palace and Mymensingh Rajbari, but they don't do justice to these structures, so I would really appreciate if anyone could find or shoot some decent photos of those too. There are also many ruined mansions throughout Bangladesh which would make good photo subjects.

Most in danger of destruction are the zamindar mansions in Old Dhaka. Of course there are (were) many beautiful homes in Old Dhaka, however aside from Ahsan Manzil the two most important, are Ruplal House and Bhajahari Lodge. I am not too optimistic about the fate of these two buildings. I will post more about them in my Historic Dhaka thread later.

Tanzirian, all your posts are nice but post#351 of this thread is just too good, I just can't get my eyes off some of the pics. Very nice collection :) !

Thanks Dhakaiya - if I lived in Bangladesh or visited more frequently, there would be more pics, but as it is, for the most part I post what I can find here and there (Google searches, etc). The Blue Ridge Mountains are about 3-4 hours from my house and I like to go there to see some of the waterfalls once in a while. Here in America this is made much easier by guidebooks which tell you where to find them. Wikipedia has a nice little article about Bangladesh waterfalls - check it out if you are interested.

Photos in post #351 looks great.

I hope to visit these places someday.:cheers:

Although less well known than the Star Mosque, the little Koshaituli Mosque also boasts of similar mosaics. If anything, the decoration here is even more intricate (sorry, didn't have better resolution photos):

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/kosh1.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/kosh2.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/kosh3.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/kosh4.jpg

nice photos Tanzirian.

Cox's Bazar

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/136/404521735_15755447ab_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/403720852_d43eee7ced_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/150/403719300_8b517163c6_o.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/coxsbazarbeach60.jpg

Atia Mosque in Tangail (1608) is considered to be the finest example of the transitional phase of architecture between that of uniquely Bengali style developed by the independent Sultans (1300s - 1500s) and the pan-Indian aesthetic of the Mughals (1600s). If you happen to be in Tangail, be sure to visit recently restored Dhonbari Palace (check out Tmac's post and pics in the 2nd page of this thread if you are interested).

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/image013.jpg

Sonargaon (Bangla: সোনারগাঁও) is the ancient capital of Isa Khan's kingdom in Bengal. It is located near the current-day city of Narayanganj, Bangladesh.

Here are some photos of the ancient ruins. Sonargaon is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the entire country.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/sonargaon11.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/sonargaon6.jpg

Sonargaon contd..

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/403416950_836f8513b0_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/181/403406660_6e2d7d5bbd_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/132/385506992_e4094e0b5f_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/25/385505176_657c9cbf04_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/385504242_1ecda52308_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/150/385503356_a8a4bf30b2_b.jpg

The ancient city of Sonargaon

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/126/385460567_acd0b046ed_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/147/385463187_8d83107527_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/144/385461675_0af23a4e93_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/123/385470126_9e53625fe2_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/177/376903551_76b474fa30_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/159/376882947_65932338af_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/129/376871972_f53a0e133b_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/153/376862189_e1aff2661e_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/142/375959885_0a10115652_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/126/375971083_8051de1b42_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/148/331618824_775a3ba700_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/164/331613205_5877e4a863_b.jpg

sonargaon lokashilpa museum

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/128/331618829_6a4140e198_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/331618825_d5867d4843_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/140/331613203_bd670acf3f_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/159/331613194_2e091862f3_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/18/70447875_577b9b5f0e_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/97/242268273_d00ad3c749_b.jpg

wall painting at sonargaon lokoshilpa museum

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/sonargaon12-1.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/331613200_ddaed9ba01_b.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/sonargaon10.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/sonargaon11-1.jpg

Tmac, do you know the location of the statue in the last pic. Its such a fine piece of art!

^^ The statue is a 3D representation of a well known Jainul Abedin painting, and is located right outside the National Folk Art Museum in Sonargaon. The National Folk Art Museum is located in a colonial period mansion known as "Sardar Bari" - most of the pictures Tmac has posted are of this house. Having such a museum was the fulfillment of a longstanding wish of Jainul Abedin.

WOW, How many history books have you memorized?

you gotta love the detailed work on these buildings. I am so impressed. I know it sounds like a broken record but I wish they were preserved and taken care of. That's our heritage, our history.

A few old Hindu temples from around Bangladesh

Jor Bangla Temple, Pabna:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/temple1.jpg

Detail, Jor Bangla Temple:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/temple2.jpg

Left - Kodla Math, Bagerhat; Right - Nabaratna Temple, Sirajganj:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/temple3.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/temple4.jpg

Detail, Kodla Math:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/temple5.jpg

Govinda Temple, Puthia:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/temple6.jpg

Let's take a trip to Bandarban. Here you will find the highest peak and tallest waterfall in Bangladesh, as well as natural mountain lakes, interesting tribal culture, and the most attractive Buddhist temple in Bangladesh (pictures by Rohan Ahmed):

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/band1.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/band2.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/band3.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/band4.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/band5.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/band6.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/band7.jpg

amazing photos Tan. Please check your PM.

Work on Kuakata Eco Park progresses fast

Work on setting up the proposed Kuakata Eco Park is progressing fast on a 13,000 acre forest land of Latachapni, Gangamati, Khajura and Tengragiri area in the district.

Forest Department sources said, at the initial stage, a total of Taka three crore has been allocated for the Eco Park.

The sources said the Eco Park will comprise sea beach, forest, picnic spot, natural and artificial lakes, watchtower, office and other infrastructures necessary for tourists and nature conservation.

The Forest Department has taken the plan to establish an Eco Park in Kuakata, the lone sea beach in the world from where both the sunrise and sunset could be observed, for boosting tourism as well as preserving bio diversity of the area.

http://www.newagebd.com/busi.html

Thanks Tmac - I have replied to your message, please check your box.

Quiz time! Can you name the highest peak in Bangladesh? Clue - it is not far from the pics I posted above.

I will post the answer tonight unless someone gets it right first.

UK Caterers Assoc to set up tourism institute in Bangladesh

Bangladesh-UK Caterers Association (Bang-UKCA) has planned to set up a tourism institute in Bangladesh in collaboration with the Northern University.
Bang-UKCA President Bazlur Rashid Chowdhury said this while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on "Tourism Training and Employment" organised by the Business Faculty of Northern University Bangladesh (NUB) at Dhanmondi in the city Monday.

NUB Vice-Chancellor M Shamsul Haque, Managing Director of Sylhet Tourism Motel Mobin Khan and leader of the Bang-UKCA AHM Ludhu Miah Chowdhury were present as the special guest.

Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management Coordinator Ahsanullah presided over the seminar.

Speaking on the occasion, Bazlur Rashid Chowdhury said that there is a great opportunity to work for the Bangladeshi skilled manpower in restaurants and tourism in the United Kingdom (UK).

The NUB to train a local manpower for the UK markets.

M Shamsul Haque said the NUB would establish an Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management in collaboration with Bang-UKCA to create efficient and skilled manpower to meet global demand.

He said at present the NUB has been offering a certificate course on Tourism and Hospitality Management and it has drawn the attention of local and global markets.

AHM Ludhu Miah said about 15 thousand hotels and restaurants run by Bangladeshi people are operating in UK highlighting the heritage and oriental food.

NUB Business Faculty Dean M Azhar ud-Din, Bangladesh Open University former pro vice-chancellor Abdur Razzaque, Human Resources Division Director Md Lutfor Rahman, Admission and Information Division Director Md Borhan Uddin, Registrar Md Solaiman Miah and Deputy Registrar Md Faizullah Kawshik also spoke on the occasion.

http://www.financialexpress-bd.com/index3.asp?cnd=3/7/2007&section_id=3&newsid=54645&spcl=no

Time for the answer to my question in post 385.

The tallest peak in Bangladesh, actually does not have a name. It is one of the peaks in a range known as Mowdok Mual along the Myanmar border, and rises 1,052 m (3,450 ft). This has been confirmed by the most advanced USGS and Russian topographical surveys.

There is lot of misinformation and misconceptions about Bangladesh's highest point. A lot of people will claim that either Keokradong (883 m) or Tajingdong (985 m, also known as "Bijoy") is the tallest peak in Bangladesh, but both these assertions are incorrect. The height of these two peaks are often stated as 1,230 m and 1,280 m, respectively, but these are incorrect exaggerations.

Sorry, but there are no pictures that I know of, of our highest summit. If you search, however, you will find pics of the incorrect contenders.

beautiful sunset on Cox's Bazar

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/161/406673411_d2b52f0829_b.jpg

beach in Himchori

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/127/406652811_a4b6d2f0a0_b.jpg

Bangladesh : A Land of Attractive Tourist Spots

Though one of the world's small countries, yet Bangladesh boasts of certain world class attractions and assets. Bangladesh have a variety of attractions for visitors and tourists. These include archaeological sites, historical mosques and monuments, resorts, beaches, turbulent sea, anthropological signs, hill communities, forests, flora and fauna.

Bangladesh offer ample opportunities to tourists for angling, rowing, jungle trekking, sun and sea-bathing and above all to be in and amidst the pristine nature. Bangladesh is bestowed with the bounties of nature. Its captivating natural beauties have brought many travelers from far and near through ages. One of such travelers aptly observed, "Bengal has hundred gates open for entrance, but not one for departure".

Besides, Bangladesh is heir to a rich cultural legacy. In two thousands or more years of its chequered history, many illustrious dynasties of kings and Sultans have ruled and disappeared and have left their mark in the shape of magnificent cities and monuments, the desolate ruins which are still visible in places throughout the country.

The archaeological treasures of Mahasthangarh, Paharpur Buddhist Vihara, a world heritage site and Salbana Vihara at Mainamati and sixty-domed grand mosque at Bagerhat, also a world heritage site, Kantaji's Temple of Dinajpur, the Hindu temples of Chandranath at Sitakund, Adinath at Moheshkhali, Sonargaon and Dhakeshwari in Dhaka bear testimony to its devotional past.

Most outstanding places in Bangladesh also include Cox's Bazar beach, Dhaka, Kaptai, Chandanpura Mosque, Zia Memorial Museum in Chittagong, Kuakata, Rangamati lake and tribal life, Sylhet tea garden, wildlife of Sundarbans. Other places of tourist attractions are Shilaidaha Kuthibari (Kushtia, a memory place of Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore), Sagordari in Jessore, Mujibnagar Memorial, Gandhi Asram, Jamuna Bridge, Trisal and Sri Chaitanya Temple.

Our private sectors also have come forward for investing in building theme park, eco park and amusement park etc. Among these, Nandan Park and Fantasy Kingdom had given a very good momentum in tourism sector. Above all, simple and friendly people of Bangladesh along with its tribes isolated from modern society by their own distinct culture and way of life make Bangladesh a distinguished and unique attraction for tourists.

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC), national tourism organization of the country, has renovated the existing tourist facilities and created new facilities at important tourist spots. The tourist facilities created so far include hotel, motel, cottage, youth hostel, restaurant, duty-free shop, land and water transport at different tourist spots. Besides, BPC offers city sightseeing tours and attractive river-cruises, package tours and excursion trips.

Moreover city sightseeing tours for transit passengers on request and river cruise packages are organized for the guests in Dhaka. Bangladesh is significantly in a more better position for tourism. Keeping conformity with the general trends of tourists who prefer calm and quiet tourist resorts of the East than traditional crowded tourist spots of the West, Bangladesh can offer a calm environment situation and natural beauties in the winter season, when tourists of the West felt it so difficult to roam freely to get pleasure in the snowfall environment of the West.

The tropical climate has made the country luxuriant in vegetation. Mango, lichi, banana, coconut and jackfruit trees are common sights everywhere in the country. The flora of Bangladesh can be very good subjects for specialist tourism. Animals such as elephants, bear, bisons, monkeys etc. abound in the hill districts of Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban.

Like the Sundarbans, the hilly area is an ornithologist's paradise. Birds both migratory and resident are a feast to the beholder's eyes. Varied reptiles like sea turtles, tortoises, crocodile, python and cobra are but common sights. Herds of spotted deer in the Sundarbans are wonderful sights to see. Facilities are available everywhere including big hotels. Telex, cables and phone connections are easily made to any part of the world.

BPC offers sightseeing, cruising, excursion and readymade as well as tailor-made all inclusive guided package tours in and around Dhaka and other places of interest throughout the country. In capital Dhaka, there are a lot of attractive places for visit. These are Lalbagh Fort, Mosques, Temples, Churches, Central Shaheed Minar, Suhrawardi Uddayan, National Memorial, National Museum, Mukti Juddha Museum, Ahsan Manzil Museum, Fork Art Museum, Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, National Poet's Graveyard, Martyred Intellectuals Memorial, Bahadur Shah Park/Victoria Park (1857 Memorila), Old High Court Building, Buddhist Monastery, Bangabhaban, Ramna Green, Shakhari Bazar, Baldha Garden, National Botanical Garden, Dhaka Zoological Garden, National Park and Sonargaon.

The commercial capital and the largest international seaport of Bangladesh, the healthy city (declared by UNESCO), Chittagong is located in a picturesque hinterland of large hill forests and lakes. It is really an amazing vacation spot. Its green hills and forests, broad sandy beaches and fine cool climate always attract holiday makers. It combines the hum of a restless seaport with the pleasure of a charming hill-town with its undulating topography.

In Chittagong, there are many attractive places. These are World War II Cemetery, Foy's Lake, Ethnological Museum, Bayazid Bostami Mazar, Court Building Museum, Patenga Beach and Sitakunda. Cox's Bazar is a conglomeration of miles of golden sands, towering cliffs, surfing waves, rare conch shells, colorful pagodas, Buddhist temples and tribes, delightful seafood. It is the tourist capital of Bangladesh having the world's longest unbroken (120 km) smooth, sandy, shark-free beach slopping down to the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal against the picturesque background of a chain of hills covered with deep forests.

Cox's Bazar is one of the most attractive tourist spots in the world. The beach is good for bathing, sunbathing and swimming. The breath-taking beauty of the setting sun behind the waves of the sea is captivating. Visits to the fascinating picnic spot at Himchhari, Teknaf, Buddhist Temple at Ramu and nearby island of Sonadia, St. Martin island, Inani Beach and Moheskhali are memorable experiences of one's life time.

Kuakata is rare beauty scenic spot on the southern most tip of Patuakhali district. It has a wide sandy beach from where one can get the unique opportunity of having a glance of both sunrise and sun set. Parjatan holiday homes at Kuakata offers a number of facilities for the tourists. Kuakata is the places of pilgrimage of the Hindu and Buddhist Communities. Many devotees arrive here during the festival of Rush Purnima and Maghi Purnima. On these occasions, they take holy bath and traditional fairs are held here. All these extraordinary events in addition to panoramic beauty make the beach more attractive to the visitors.

Three hill districts---Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari---are paradise for nature lovers. These districts offer dazzling beautiful spots where nature has been least disturbed. Far from congested, polluted and madding crowd of the plains, its scenic and calm spots offer rare opportunities to the tourists.

Sundarbans, the abode of Majestic Royal Bengal Tiger, is located 320-km southwest of Dhaka and is the biggest mangrove forest. These deeply dense mangrove forests are criss-crissed by a network of rivers and creeks. Tourists find here 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 in this region are cheetah, spotted deer, monkey, python, wild-boar and hyeanas. The UNESCO has declared Sundarbans as a world heritage site.

Sylhet, a land of devotion and nature's bounties is in the northeast of Bangladesh. Sylhet is the foremost tea granry of the country. The tea gardens mile after mile like a green carpet spread over the slopes of the hills are a feast to the eyes of the travelers.

Tourist attractions in Sylhet are: the Shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal, Jaintapur, said to be the capital of ancient kingdom, Shahi Eid Gah, Madhabkund (famous for its fascinating waterfall, Temple of Sri Chaitannya Dev, Srimongal(famous for large tea gardens in soothing and comfortable climatic conditions), and Tamabil-Jaflong which is glimpse of the waterfall across the border inside India from Tamabil and stones rolling down the sides of hills or to the plains is beholder's delight.

BPC runs a number of modern but economy hotels, motels and cottages through out the country. Besides, there are huge luxurious private hotels and different government and semi-government and departmental rest-house/guest houses, which may be hired. International standard hotels are available in Dhaka, Chittagong and Cox's Bazar.

A tourist may bring in any amount of foreign exchange in the form of Traveller's Cheque, foreign currency notes, or other foreign currency instruments provided he/she makes a written declaration in Form FMJ obtainable from the customs at the port of entry. However, no declaration is required for bringing in of foreign exchange US$ 5000 by foreign tourists. While leaving Bangladesh a tourist can take out unspent balance of the foreign currency brought in.

Bangladeshis are proud of extending hospitability to the tourists who would find it comfortable with the improvement of law and order situation in the country. For necessary information, please contact with Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, Head Office, 233 Airport Road, Tejgaon, Dhaka-1215. Tel (880-2) 8117855-9, 9120392, fax: 880-2-8126501, e-mail:bpcho@bangla.net Tourists also can visit the website (www.bangladeshtourism.org).

http://independent-bangladesh.com/news/oct/11/11102005ft.htm

I had a short visit to Srimangal Tea estates last weekend...took a lot of snaps also, hope to post 'em soon...but i dont think i can make it before next week. Anyway, I didnt post any pic yet, how to do that, friends? Upload somewhere first right?

Hindu Shrines along the road side north of Moulavi Bazar

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/407347029_8e17bd0c25_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/161/407347040_ffec6d9efe_b.jpg

I want more pics of St. Martin Island !

Bangladesh is truly amaazing ! Nice cities, great SUndarban Basin, diversed wildlife !

Air Asia is planning to fly to Dhaka and Chittagong soon. Then more and more travellers will flock into this wonderful and very friendly country :)

Tanzirian & Tmac are really rocking this thread. Excellent work!

How many tourist estimated to go there every year?

Tourist sites and facilities exist in some places but the thing is that Bangladesh does not receive much publicity from international media, they only report occassional typhoons and riots and never mention the ongoing boom. So tourism has been pretty low.

I had a short visit to Srimangal Tea estates last weekend...took a lot of snaps also, hope to post 'em soon...but i dont think i can make it before next week. Anyway, I didnt post any pic yet, how to do that, friends? Upload somewhere first right?

Tareq, I have sent you a message about uploading photos. Check your "private messages."

I want more pics of St. Martin Island !

Bangladesh is truly amaazing ! Nice cities, great SUndarban Basin, diversed wildlife !

Air Asia is planning to fly to Dhaka and Chittagong soon. Then more and more travellers will flock into this wonderful and very friendly country :)

Skyprince, if you look at earlier pages in this thread, you will find many pictures of St Martin's Island posted by Tmac.

Oh my, I even I completely forgot about posting my Srimangal visit pics. The trouble is uploading them in the image hosting sites. It takes so much time to store quite a few megabytes of file on a connection thats just around 2.5 KBps!

Tanzirian & Tmac are really rocking this thread. Excellent work!


Tanzirian has brought his game to this thread. Well done Tan.

Oh my, I even I completely forgot about posting my Srimangal visit pics. The trouble is uploading them in the image hosting sites. It takes so much time to store quite a few megabytes of file on a connection thats just around 2.5 KBps!

still waiting for the Sri Mangal pics.

Himchori hill top view

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/183/413557847_675e11421f_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/413557736_d2ea1e4348_o.jpg

A very busy beach in Cox's Bazar

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/170/413556247_7f88d4332a_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/413555367_80b5185000_o.jpg

Beach and Shop and Restaurants

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/413555440_cb8a283c57_o.jpg

Angel Drop - best coffee joint in Cox's Bazar

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/159/413556339_c938d783a2_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/413555604_2c480d9bec_o.jpg

Sonargaon

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/sonargaon12.jpg

^^ Seems like Tmac's scoped out all the java joints in Cox's Bazar!

Carmichael College, Rangpur:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/carm1.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/carm2.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/carm3.jpg

If you happen to be in Rangpur, be sure to check out Tajhat Palace. Tmac has already posted pics of this palace earlier in the thread, so check them out if you are interested:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/tajhat1.jpg

A palace now used as a college in Narayanganj.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/muraparacollege3.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC01927.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC00146.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2026.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2031.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2041.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2046.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2055.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2056.jpg

Finlay.....is it the one right infront of the BD Tea Board Resort? I mainly visited the Shumsher Nugger Tea Estate.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2080.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_1951.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_1953.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_1954.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_1965.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_1966.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_1967.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_1968.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_1969.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2013.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2014.jpg

Hey I stayed in this place during my stay here! I was in Bungalow#5!

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2080.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_1951.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_1953.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_1954.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_1965.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_1966.jpg

Tareq, did you visit the National Wildlife Reserve?

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2015.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2016.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2017.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2018.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2025.jpg

Finlay.....is it the one right infront of the BD Tea Board Resort? I mainly visited the Shumsher Nugger Tea Estate.

ya, you are right.

Tareq, did you visit the National Wildlife Reserve?

yap, i hope to post more pics of that tomorrow...:)

Hey I stayed in this place during my stay here! I was in Bungalow#5!

wow...i was in bunglow #10...'ve we seen each other?? no....certainly not, i was there just a week back, you were there a few more weeks before me, i guess.

Nice pics Tareq! The only time I visited Sylhet area was 1987. Back then I stayed at guest houses owned by factories at Fenchuganj and Chhatak - I am not sure but don't think there were any of these resorts back then.

great photos Tareq. I love the tea gardens.

Thanks. Some more of the gardens and resort...

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC01950.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC01949.jpg

Couldn't absorb the jerking while passing over the rail track...
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC02984.jpg

and missed the alignment while taking the panorama as well...too much sun.
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC03005.jpg

Lowachara National Park and wildlife reserve
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC02985.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2093.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2092.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC02990.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC02989.jpg

Oak tree...people use to confuse it with a chloroform tree so the authority had to clear it...
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2082.jpg

The elephant is 10 year old
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/IMG_2094.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC01946.jpg

Rain forest...
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC01945.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC01944.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC01943.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC01942.jpg

Rail track is right through this forest...the train becomes very slow because of the curved track around here...I saw some ppl just got down from the train, plucked some wild fruit (may be lemon) quickly and boarded on the train again!:lol:
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/DSC01941.jpg

One Ramesh Ram Goud invented this amazing tea...it has 5 layers.Note the menu ... The interesting point is they never disclose the recipe. The first thing they do after getting the order is closing the kitchen door tight!:ohno:
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/1.jpg

This is how they present it...the cup is put in another cup full of hot water, may be to avoid unwanted jerking and keeping the tea hot.
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/2.jpg

Try to count the layers...:)
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/tareq79/3.jpg

great coverage Tareq. Did you stay in the resort? How much does it cost? Do they have a website?

Ya, I stayed there at a bunglow of the resort.Actually everything was arranged by my office...anyway, I will try to find the answers and inform you after I get to know.

great coverage Tareq. Did you stay in the resort? How much does it cost? Do they have a website?

Between 1500-4000 depending on the type of bungalow you want and excluding food costs. But its a wonderful place, couldn't go swimming cuz it was winter but spent the entire evening playing badmintion.....a wonderful place....

Great pics Tareq; it's good to have someone else actually living in Bangladesh pitching in with pics. It's hard for those of us living abroad to always find new pics to post, so this is appreciated. If you have bought some fresh ground tea, feel free to mail it to me anytime :D

The magic of fresh tea can only be explained by the ones who've had it, I'd freshly picked tea this time in Srimongol and believe me its a taste I'll remember for a long long time!

Quiz time! Can anyone name the oldest church in Bangladesh? Answer with picture tomorrow, unless someone gets it right first!

^^ The Church of our Lady of the Holy Rosary (1677)

^^ The Church of our Lady of the Holy Rosary (1677)

Close but not quite :) ! However Holy Rosary Church is my favorite historic church in Bangladesh!

great coverage Tareq. Did you stay in the resort? How much does it cost? Do they have a website?

Ya I got some info...
Bunlglows with a/c, two bed-rooms, dining room, kitchen etc. cost TK 3500 (I stayed in one of these, bathroom is quite old-fashioned but okay). And similar ones with 3 bed-rooms cost TK. 5000.(of course, excluding food costs).
And they dont 've any web page...they are almost clueless,(as it is government owned, you know abt 'em!)...and i guess reservation is not essential.

Time for the answer to my quiz in post 433!

The oldest surviving church in Bangladesh is the Church of St. Nicholas Tolentino in Nagori, built in 1663:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/girja.jpg

Here are some other historic churches from Bangladesh. Anglican Church, Dhaka:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/girja-anglican.jpg

Armenian Church, Dhaka:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/girja-arm7.jpg

Holy Rosary Church, Tejgaon (Dhaka). This is my favorite church in Bangladesh. Built in 1677, it is an attempt create a truly native christian architecture, harmoniously blending Bengali, Mughal, and European elements, rather than a mere transposition of European architecture:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/girja-holyrosary1.jpg

St. Antones Church, Panjorah:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/girja-2.jpg

Oxford Mission Church, Barisal:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/tanzirian/girja-omc1.jpg

Great coverage Tanzirian :)

Tan, real impressive work. Are you a history teacher or something?

Thanks but no, I am not a history teacher :) - but history was a favorite subject of mine growing up. Now I am in Family Medicine.

Thinking about my post, I do have to mention that there is some controversy about when Nagori Church was constructed. The inscription within the church itself, says 1663, but some historians think that the date refers to the conversion of a local nobleman and that the building itself was erected in 1695, in which case it would not be the oldest church in Bangladesh. But that is a matter of scholastic debate, the details of which I am not an expert on.

couple of Buddhist temples in Cox's Bazar and Moheskhali

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/templeincoxsbazar27.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/templeincoxsbazar25.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/templeincoxsbazar26.jpg

I just read in a Bangla newspaper that one Malaysian and one Japanese investment firm are in the process of submitting more than 2 billion dollar investment proposal for the development of tourism in and around Cox's Bazar. If they are approved and implemented, tourist sector will get the much needed investment and attention that it has long been craving for.

Here is the link (Third news headline from the bottom).


http://www.ajkerkagoj.com/2007/March16/last_page.html#17

I just read in a Bangla newspaper that one Malaysian and one Japanese investment firm are in the process of submitting more than 2 billion dollar investment proposal for the development of tourism in and around Cox's Bazar. If they are approved and implemented, tourist sector will get the much needed investment and attention that it has long been craving for.

Here is the link (Third news headline from the bottom).


http://www.ajkerkagoj.com/2007/March16/last_page.html#17

that's great news clearsky. I just hope they get approved and implemented.

Wonderful news! Whew, Bangladesh suring is getting quite a few billion dollar investment proposals these days.

I just read in a Bangla newspaper that one Malaysian and one Japanese investment firm are in the process of submitting more than 2 billion dollar investment proposal for the development of tourism in and around Cox's Bazar. If they are approved and implemented, tourist sector will get the much needed investment and attention that it has long been craving for.

Here is the link (Third news headline from the bottom).


http://www.ajkerkagoj.com/2007/March16/last_page.html#17
do you mind elaborating all i see is question marks

Coolness. I dont understand the writing in the link but I think the foreign companies will developed the beach property into a world class tourism spot. let's just hope that te proposal will materialize soon.

do you mind elaborating all i see is question marks


I already summarized the news. Here is the actual news in Bangla.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b328/netdhaka/AjkerkagojNews1.jpg

If you couldn't read the link its probably because you don't have Bangla font installed. But, anyway, Clearsky solved the problem!

Hotel Kollol of Cox’s Bazar; A home just by the Bay

http://www.bangladeshmonitor.net/images/mar16-07/images/41.jpg

Hotel Kollol is almost on the Bay at Cox's Bazar. From the balcony of this hotel, both the view and roar of sea waves may be experienced. In Bangla the word ‘Kollol' means wave. That's why the property was named Hotel Kollol. Hotel Kollol began its journey in 2003. Not only was the site chosen but the building was also constructed considering adequate open air and sunlight. In other words this premises was constructed to give the feel of a home. Like a big family house everyone can see each other from its long corridors. This hotel maintains a balance between luxuriousness and affordability. A homely atmosphere, cleanliness and a balance of quality and affordability have been maintained at hotel's own restaurant `Recipe' on its first floor. From one person to a big family – everyone can take their food here in accordance to their choice and budget. These features have turned this hotel into a real home where couples and families feel easy, safe and secure.

In a bid to bring affordability this 66-bed hotel has combined luxurious settings, impeccable service, standard cuisine and homely treatment added with complete safety for the holiday-goers. Tourists and holidaymakers can stay here to discover and explore the sea 24 hours without even leaving the room.

The hotel offers its customers all the luxurious facilities including air conditioning, colour cable TV, En-suite Bathroom. There are five types of accommodation- Economy, Deluxe, Super Deluxe, Super Deluxe Luxury and two Suites with rates ranging from Tk 800 to Tk 2500. Four floors of the six-storied building of the hotel have recently been completed and the numbers of rooms are expected to increase when construction of the building is completed. Of the 66 rooms at present, two are Suites, 15 Super Deluxe Luxury rooms, 8 Super Deluxe rooms, 12 Deluxe rooms and 30 Economy rooms. In off peak season (March-September) the hotel offers special discounts on hotel rates.

The proprietor of this hotel, Idris Ahmed said that he always dreamt of setting up such a hotel which will be an ideal place for the family and will be very much within the reach of middle class, so that they may feel encourage to take a trip to visit the sea shore and stay there for a few days. This correspondent found him not only supervising the running of the hotel but also enquiring about the welfare of the guests, including their security at night.

www.hotelkollol.com

http://www.bangladeshmonitor.net/hotel_story.php?recordID=207

Angel Drop - Cox's Bazar

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/angeldrop4.jpg

wtf is that angel drop?

wtf is that angel drop?

Angel Drop is great wooden restaurant, right on the cox's bazar beach, as you see on the pic.
It may make you feel like you are not on earth if you are on it on a moonlit night, especially during high tide. I still remember the heavenly feeling I got there while foamy waves passing a few feet below my feet. When I looked down, it seemed like its not the wave that is moving, rather its me!

Delicious foods are also available there.

ah kewl but is it safe thou? i dont trust desis with such stuff you know

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Govinda Temple, Puthia

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/govindatemple5.jpg

Siva Temple, Puthia

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/sivatemple5.jpg

Kantanagar temple - Kantanagar, near Dinajpur in the northwest, is a 250-year-old Hindu temple every inch of which is covered in amazingly detailed terra cotta carvings.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/kantanagartemple15.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/kantanagartemple18.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/kantanagartemple17.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/kantanagartemple16.jpg

Khania Dighi Mosque, Gaud - The remains of the ancient city of Gaud lie along the Indian border a couple of hours drive from Rajshahi.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/khaniadighimosque.jpg

Chunakhola Mosque, Bagerhat

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/chunakholamosque.jpg

Chhota Sona Masjid, Gaud

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/chotosonamosque4.jpg

Darasbari Mosque, Gaud

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/darasbarimosque.jpg

Nice pics Tmac, where did you find the pics of Gaud? I was thinking of starting a thread on Gaud after I am done with my Historic Dhaka thread, but some of the buildings are difficult to find pictures of - for example I had only one medium quality pic of Khania Dighi mosque.

Historic Sonargaon

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/sonargaon40.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/sonargaon41.jpg

Siva temple and the village of Puthia near Rajshahi

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/sivatemple7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/sivatemple6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/puthiavillage16.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/Dhaka1/puthiavillage15.jpg

Tanzirian, I was wondering if you can provide some information on this palace. I believe it's located on Nababganj. I don't know where that it.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/145/436215124_03d955b020_b.jpg

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Tanzirian, I was wondering if you can provide some information on this palace. I believe it's located on Nababganj. I don't know where that it.

Sorry, Tmac, that's an attractive mansion but unfortunately I don't know anything about it. I saw it before in your posts and wondered about where it was. In a few weeks or so, when I am done with my Historic Dhaka thread, I am thinking of starting a couple of other ones including one on Zamindar Mansions. This will be mostly notes since I have very few pictures and the ones I do have are of pretty poor quality. Since I don't know where to find decent pics, I will be reposting some of what you have posted, but with some additional commentary.

BTW, where are those buildings in your posts 463 - 465? Are they also in Nababganj?

Also, the next couple of posts in my Historic Dhaka thread will be on Ruplal House, one of the best mansions in Dhaka, so check it out later today if you are interested. Over the next couple of weeks I will also include some info on other neglected and endangered mansions in the capital.

Sorry, Tmac, that's an attractive mansion but unfortunately I don't know anything about it. I saw it before in your posts and wondered about where it was. In a few weeks or so, when I am done with my Historic Dhaka thread, I am thinking of starting a couple of other ones including one on Zamindar Mansions. This will be mostly notes since I have very few pictures and the ones I do have are of pretty poor quality. Since I don't know where to find decent pics, I will be reposting some of what you have posted, but with some additional commentary.

BTW, where are those buildings in your posts 463 - 465. Are they also in Nababganj?

Also, the next couple of posts in my Historic Dhaka thread will be on Ruplal House, one of the best mansions in Dhaka, so check it out later today if you are interested. Over the next couple of weeks I will also include some info on other decaying and endangered mansions in the capital.

I think this may be called kopapara palace in Nababganj. All of those photos were taken in Nababganj.

Tmac! A smiley face has stolen your avatar flag...and is laughing about it!

Tmac! A smiley face has stolen your avatar flag...and is laughing about it!

it's like playing capture the flag in Halo.

Great pics Tmac, its amazing how rich is the heritage of Bangladesh. I never knew so many beautiful zamindar palaces existed all throughout our country. We should definitely preserve all these historical sites and transform them into major tourist attraction. It's sad that we do not have much government propagation through media,Tourism board of these places..

4 windmills were installed in 2005 to generate power at Feni. Country's first wind generated power project. The 50 ft tall windmills with the highest power production capacity of 225 KW each has been installed at a cost of Taka 7.36 crore. Here are some photos of them.

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I'm glad that someone's thinking of alternate energy sources. Natural gas isn't going to last forever.

Great news, bangladesh really needs to start thinking of some of its hidden resources.

Kuakata is finally booming with tourism. Here are photos of some under construction resorts in Kuakata.

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beautiful Kuakata

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A gorgeous view from nilachol lookout, Bandarban

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Chimbuk is 'possibly' the highest point in the vicinity of Bandarban city.

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Nice pics Tmac. Do you know how safe Kuakata is these days? This used to be one of the drawbacks to this beautiful beach...

I would love to go trekking in Bandarban some day, though I don't know how feasible that idea is, since I get only short breaks from my work here in the US. Hope it remains uncrowded for a few more decades...

that's beautiful TMAC

some photos of Chera Deep @ St.Martins ... a beautiful coral island

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great pics...
welcome to the forum, masud.rahman.

Welcome! BD threads are booming with newcomers :D

^^ new comers means more chances of getting your own sub-forum :D

Welcome to SSC Rahman,and thanks for the beautiful pics

great pics!!!!amazing, keep postig

^^ new comers means more chances of getting your own sub-forum :D

Yeah :D Or at least hope so.

Not having a forum is not necessarily a bad thing. Far fewer people would see Bangladesh threads like this one if it wasn't in a general forum.

views from naf river
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Nice pics as before, Masud. Do you live in Bangladesh, or abroad?

Lovely pics, and oh yeah, nice avatar, love it :)

Really nice pics,

thanks & nice to know that u all r loving the pics.

i 'm from dhaka. but last few weeks i m roaming through our coastal belt. hope to post more of our salty lands soon.

i 'm back from st. martins on 1st april due to seasonal discontinuation of water transport ships (keari sindabad & eagle) for tourists which was effective from 2nd april.will resume on october.

http://www.dailynayadiganta.com/2007/04/04/fullnews.asp?News_ID=15758&sec=2

Two words. Serene and Pristine.

Temples in Puthia

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Palace of Puthia

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/palaceofputhia.jpg

Tajhat Palace, Rangpur

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/tajhatpalacerangpur12-1.jpg

kantazir Temple

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/kantazirtemple20.jpg

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Puthia Temple

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Dhaka/puthiatemple10.jpg

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Shiva Temple, Rangpur

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Some random country side pics from Dhaka Aricha road.

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