The rainy season is the pick season of tourism in the haor area of the country. Thousands of tourists used to visit enjoying the beauty of the haor of Sylhet region. However, compared to last season, there has been a decrease in tourists in the Haor area of Habiganj.
Tourists are talking about two reasons behind this. One is that there is less water in the haor this time, the other is the extra boat fare.
Emon Ahmed, a resident of Dhuliakhal village in Habiganj Sadar upazila, rents a boat almost every year and goes to the haor with his friends. "As soon as the monsoon comes, we go to haor with our friends. On Monday, I hired a big boat for Tk 22,000 to go to the Akhara in Bithangal. But I rented a boat of the same size for Tk 15,000 last year. Boat owners are talking about going to their destinations by turn due to the increase in fuel prices and low water in the haor," he added.
Ayub Ali, a boat owner of Kalardoba area of Baniachong upazila, said that his engine-driven boat can carry 50 to 70 passengers. On Friday and Saturday, he charged Tk 15,000 to go to the Akhada in Bithangal as the price of oil has increased this year compared to last year. Apart from that, due to less water in the haor, they have to move around more. That's why the rent is a little higher this time.
Talking to tourists, it was known that tourists come more to see the beauty of The Akhara, Malik Shah Shrine, Baniachong and Haor. More than 100 boats from Kalardoba area of Baniachong take tourists to Haor. Tourists are more interested to see the 500-year-old Bithangal shrine. It takes three to three and a half hours to reach Bithangal shrine from Kalardoba in an engine-driven boat. On this route, the owners of medium-sized boats want Tk 12,000 to Tk 15,000. Last year, the rent amount was Tk 8,000 to Tk 10,000. Again, there is an opportunity to visit the haor from Kalardoba for Tk 600 to 800 per hour in a small boat.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Mintu Chowdhury said they do not want tourists coming from far away to enjoy the beauty of haor. The executive officers of the respective upazila will be instructed not to charge any extra fare in any way by holding the tourists hostage. He said the boat fare will be fixed if needed for the convenience of tourists.
JH
