Where nature blooms with colours

Red and white water lilies have blanketed Ashurar Beel, a water body adjacent to the Nawabganj National Park (Nawabganj Jatiya Uddayan) in Dinajpur district. With bloomed flowers, the entire water body is now looking like not less than an attractive marsh.

Nature lovers from different parts of the country throng near the water body to enjoy excitement of the nature.

While visiting the spot, this correspondent found that thousands of flowers of different varieties and colours including lotus, water lily bloom on the waves of the beel.

Nawabganj National Park Ashura Beel Protection Committee General Secretary Mahabub Rahaman said migratory birds flock to the wetland during the winter season. Moreover, the local birds are seen around the year.  The floating lotus and water Lilly flowers on the waves of the wetland offer a unique beauty and captivating look. 

Nawabganj j Upazila Nirbahi Officer Animesh Somh said the wetland has become a tourist spot due to its enthralled magnificent natural beauty.

“We sent a proposal to the Parjaton and Tourism Ministry for infrastructural development inside the place to attract more visitors. A police post has been set up in the area,” he added.     

Local administration of Dinajpur district is planning to make Ashura Beel, a green land of natural beauty located between Birampur and Nawabganj upazilas of Dinajpur, the famous Amazon of North Bengal. The whole project is nearing completion with the help of BADC, Department of Agriculture, said local sources.

About 50,000 low-income people will be employed. Those whose daily income will be two to five thousand Tk if a tourist zone is created in the area. About one crore Tk will be deposited in the revenue book of Bangladesh government every year.

Ashura Beel is a huge reservoir of about five kilometers in length between about 20-30 species of trees and various species of wildlife. Its area is about 656.45 acres. The beel covers about 269.23 acres in Dhanjhuri, Kalishahar and Satani Khasalpur mouzas of Khanpur union of Birampur upazila and about 56.22 acres in Haripur, Khatkhatia, Krishnapur, Alokdhuti and Bara Jalalpur mouzas of Golapganj union of Nawabganj upazila.

There are various endangered species of fish including red khalshe, dhedhal and kakila in the water of the beel. Boal, ayr, carrot, shoal pabda, shrimp, tengra, kai, magur, putti and baim fish are available in the beel during the full season.

A visitor Rebeka Akhter, 35, said she along with her family members have come to the spot from Dinajpur town. The place offers a unique and enthralling beauty that attracts her most.  She visited the spot several times.  Eye-catching dancing flowers on the water wave, blue sky, dense forest, and chirping of birds have made a captivating environment in the area.