Steady increase in tourist arrivals : Few steps can make Sandwip a top tourist destination
Badal Roy Shadin, Sandwip ( Chittagong)
Sandwip, full of natural beauty, is becoming an attractive tourist spot for tourists who are thirsty for travel day by day.
With vast bodies of water all around, a huge Keora forest at the entrance to Sandwip, the aesthetics of the block embankment in the west, rows of coconut trees growing in the new chars, salty plants growing in the chars, occasional herds of sheep and buffaloes, fishermen's fishing boats in small canals flowing through the chars, the scene of preparing a special type of fuel called goi from cow dung, drying dried grass by tying ropes in some places, silt accumulation in the new chars, the scene of building boats and trawlers, the example of trees of different species struggling to survive before disappearing into the sea, nature lovers unknowingly say, "Wow, it is difficult to find such an exceptional island anywhere." And the sight of the full moon by pitching a tent on the banks of that river, the view of the sunset in the late afternoon, the serene silence are comparable to the beauty of Cox's Bazar and Kuakata.
As a result of the widespread promotion of all these things on Facebook, tourists from different parts of the country including Chittagong and Dhaka are flocking to Sandwip almost every day. They enjoy the immense natural beauty by pitching a tent. They are fascinated by the natural beauty of the confluence of the char and the sea. And they enjoy the constant organization of football teams by sports-loving youth and teenagers next to it. On the other hand, during the high tide, now the thirsty tourists cannot feel any difference between the Cox's Bazar sea beach or Patenga sea beach. Rather, Sandwip adds a new flavor to it by adding natural beauty. Therefore, the will and sincere attitude of the upazila administration can transform it into a complete entertainment spot or tourist area, said various visitors who have visited.
When you go to the spot, you can constantly see many tourists outside Sandwip on the borders of Harishpur and Rahmatpur. The ferry Kapotaksh, which was launched on the Sandwip-Chittagong route on March 24, has made the once difficult transportation system even easier. After that, tourists are flocking to it. Now, many people from the outside world, including remote areas of Bangladesh, are also seen. Even female tourists are very excited to come to Sandwip by motorcycle.
A few days ago, Tanvir Ahmed Rafi, a student of Chittagong City College, met a group of 7/8 tourists including Wahid Murad, a remittance fighter from Singapore. When we talked to them, they told us about their wonderful experience and made some suggestions.
Tanvir Ahmed said that Sandwip is the queen of nature, a land of immense beauty. Rows of coconut trees, small canals flowing between the new chars, herds of cattle, I am enjoying the moonlit night with full energy sitting in this quiet place at night. I am breathing pure oxygen.
There is no dirt, dust, sand, and there is no crow here. That proves how pure the environment here is. Also, the people here are very sincere. However, some development activities should be taken up for the convenience of tourists here, which are the construction of several public toilets at various important spots for long-staying visitors, the installation of some street lights for the convenience of those who will stay after evening or at night, the appointment of police patrols or 2/4 Ansars to ensure security, ensuring some permanent arrangements for seating and the establishment of some hotel restaurants. Then tourists who come for a short time can enjoy pure pleasure if they are free from the time they have to spend collecting food.
Wahid Murad said that it is a complete exception. He said that people are now attracted to places like Sandwip, gasping for air free from the noise of the city. Some development is necessary to strengthen the tourism sector here, but while doing that development, no damage can be done to the ecosystem, a sanctuary for birds must be created, they cannot be disturbed in any way, so some eco-resorts can be built. If you try to do something more commercial like Cox's Bazar or Kuakata, there will be issues of tendering or immorality. If you enjoy yourself with loud miking or DJs, you will disturb nature. We like Sandwip very much because there is no such noise. I will tell all my friends that if you want to see nature up close, come and visit Sandwip.
On the other hand, two young men from Sandwip, Mehedi and Sabuj Anwar, said that if we can turn the chars into more potential and economic zones and make them suitable for cultivation, thousands of acres of land will be a big source of income for us.
For that, out of the numerous small canals flowing through the rising char, 2/1 of the main canals will have to be identified, dredged and deepened, and the remaining canals will have to be closed with that soil, for which a dredging machine will have to be stationed for a long time. They will then be transformed and become artificial lakes. Then, by building a few salt embankments or ring embankments, seasonal vegetables can be cultivated in them, meeting the food demand of Sandwip and exporting it outside. We believe that by inviting multinational companies here, by ensuring grazing land for fish and cattle, we will be able to make and export dairy products, generating crores of taka and playing a role in reducing unemployment.
On the other hand, when asked about the opinion of some people who care about the environment of Sandwip, they said that a few deer calves can be released to turn the Keora forest that has emerged on the east and south sides of Sandwip and west of Harishpur and Kalapania into an eco-park. After 4/5 years, hundreds of deer will be produced from them. On the other hand, if the ongoing block embankment work around Sandwip is completed, and the current interim government is encouraged to take up the project to convert them into a marine drive, Sandwip will be the best attractive spot.
However, to ensure smooth travel for tourists, it is very important to double-lane the two main roads of Sandwip, Guptachara and Delwar Khan Roads. In addition, speed bumps or speed limit signboards should be installed on the roads, and traffic systems should be introduced.
It is also important to provide awareness training to rickshaw, taxi and auto drivers to avoid charging excessive fares and embarrassing tourists, and to avoid misbehaving with tourists.
