Photo: BSS

By Mohammad Shahjahan Chowdhury

SUNAMGANJ, June 14, 2025 (BSS) - With the onset of monsoon, tourists from across the country started rushing to the Tanguar Haor in the district to pass their leisure time with the nature.

Located at the foot of Meghalaya hills in India, the haor stretches across the Madhyanagar and Tahirpur upazilas in the district. The blue water of the haor, the vast sky, and the greenish hue of the Meghalaya hills to the north captivate the human souls. 

The moonlight and cool breeze at night offer a heavenly experience. Such scenic beauty adds fulfillment to life. One feels the urge to lose oneself in the embrace of the haor.

Despite the presence of over 200 boats, including houseboats, around Niladri Lake, Bareker Tila, and Shimul Bagan, only 90 houseboats have been registered under the district administration.

Covering approximately 126 square kilometers, Tanguar Haor is Bangladesh’s second-largest freshwater wetland. Locally, it is also known as “Noykuri Kandar Chhoykuri Beel”. It is the country’s second Ramsar site.

During the monsoon, Tanguar Haor turns into a spectacle of natural beauty. The blend of sky, Meghalaya hills, and water creates a mesmerizing view. A full moon festival is also held during this time.

Over the last five years, over a hundred luxurious houseboats have been transporting tourists across the haor during monsoons. These houseboats, mostly operating from Sunamganj and Tahirpur, charge between Taka 100,000 and Taka 150,000 for a two-day and one-night trip. The tour includes visits to the Watch Tower, Tekerghat, Niladri Lake, and Shimul Bagan.

On Tuesday last, several houseboats filled with tourists were seen at Shimul Bagan, Asia’s largest shimul forest in Tahirpur upazila.

Md Azmal Hossain, a manager at a renowned courier service company in Dhaka, was a passenger of a houseboat named ‘Zamindar’.

Talking to BSS, Azmal shared that he came here from the capital city to enjoy his Eid vacation with the natural beauty.

He said they boarded the houseboat from Wazkhali in Sunamganj in Monday morning and went around the haor’s watchtower area, enjoying the blue waters, rows of hijol and koroch trees, and the backdrop of Meghalaya hills. Azmal remarked that it felt like a divine fusion of haor and hill.

Another tourist of the same houseboat, Rony Bhuiyan, said he and two friends came to explore Niladri Lake, Bareker Tila, and Shimul Bagan. He enjoyed the trip but complained about harassment by transgender groups and lack of changing rooms and toilets in these tourist spots.

Raju, also a tourist from the same boat, shared his experience that vehicle fares are inconsistent due to the lack of a fare chart. Motorcycle and auto-rickshaw drivers charge varying amounts, and without uniforms, it's difficult to identify licensed operators. He also noted that the roads between tourist spots are in poor condition.

Hriday Mia, manager of the Zamindar houseboat, said that his boat has nine cabins—two for four persons, four for three persons, and three for two persons—along with a lobby area that can accommodate six guests.

Cabin rental prices for two days and one night are Taka 20,000 (4 persons), Taka 18,000 (3 persons), Taka 13,000 (2 persons), and Taka 5,000 per person in the lobby, which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner during the trip.

Al Abir, manager of another houseboat named ‘Nil Jol’ said his boat also has similar arrangements with seven cabins.

Md Rabbani, president of the Tahirpur Naval Tourism Cooperative Society, said that in addition to police; tourist police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Ansar personnel are working to ensure safety and security of tourists. At night, houseboat staffs used to work as guards.

Uzzal Mia, manager of the Shimul Bagan, said tourists never miss visiting the site. On an average, 500 visitors come daily while the number increases to 700 on weekends. During bloom season (10–28 February), more tourists arrive to witness the Shimul flowers.

About the progress of construction work of the road heading towards Shimul Bagan, Bareker Tila, Niladri Lake, and Tekerghat, Anwar Hossain, Executive Engineer of the district LGED, said 30 percent work of the road has been completed while he expected that rest the work would be completed within a year.

Sunamganj Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr Mohammad Elias Mia said that the district administration is taking various initiatives to promote tourism. Already, 90 houseboats have been brought under registration while others are being brought under the registration, he added.

The DC said they have planned to build modern wash blocks in Tekerghat while a waste dumping station will also be built there for waste management.

Moreover, motorcycle, auto-rickshaw, and speedboat drivers operating in tourist areas will be registered and provided with uniforms for easy identification, Mia said.

In order to preserve the environment and biodiversity of the Tanguar Haor, the DC said, the work of constructing a Watch Tower-cum-Management Office is underway.

The district administration also planned to build a moon-viewing point at Bareker Tila and launch