Home ›› 13 Nov 2022 ›› Nation
Tourists across the country have started flocking to Tetulia in Panchagarh to enjoy the panoramic view of the snow-capped white peaks of Kanchenjunga, the world’s third-largest mountain range located in eastern Himalayas.
The spectacular view of the Kanchenjunga is currently clearly visible from different points of the upazila.
The exotic beauty of the mountain draws a huge number of nature lovers every year ahead of the winter when it becomes visible in the cloudless blue autumn sky. Autumn (October-November) is the best time to witness the beauty.
The Kanchenjunga, 157 km away from Tetulia, is situated in the Indian state of Sikkim.
The best time to enjoy Kanchenjunga is the early morning and the late afternoon. Despite the fading darkness around, the peak shines in the early morning as the rays of the rising sun fall right on the mountain top, gradually turning from light red into orange, and finally, it becomes white.
The mountain looks a bit blurry as the day goes on. But the scene becomes equally beautiful in the afternoon also when the enchanting beauty of the golden mountain peak shines throughout the horizon.
The dazzling beauty of the snow-capped mountain is visible from various points of Tetulia. But the best spot to enjoy the beauty is the Tetulia Dak Bungalow located on an elevated ground on the bank of the Mahananda River. The other points of the sightseeing include Tetulia Bypass, Banglabandha, and Korotoa Bridge in Bhajanpur.
This year, people of different ages from various parts of the country have come to the upazila to enjoy the view of the mountain. They take photographs and selfies, shoot videos, and collect stones from the Mahananda while enjoying the beauty of Kanchenjunga amid a festive atmosphere.
Reza Ahamed, a local resident, said, “Tourists and visitors flock to the upazila every day during the season to have a glimpse of the mountain. They throng different points of the upazila from morning to afternoon. Trade and commerce as well as the overall economy of the upazila have geared up due to the massive gathering for the sightseeing of Kanchenjunga.”
Tuhin Wadud, associate professor of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, has been staying at the Dak Bungalow on the bank of the Mahananda for the last two days. “I am really amazed to see the mountain during sunrise and sunset. I have captured many photos and videos of the scenic beauty of the peak that changes its colour throughout the day,” he told this correspondent.
Rayhan Ahamed, a NGO official from Dhaka, said, “I am staying at a hotel in Panchagarh town as the upazila lacks adequate residential facilities for the visitors.”
Tetulia is well connected by bus and railway services to different parts of the country including Dhaka.
In addition to the three train services — Ekota Express, Drutojan Express, and Panchagarh Express — tourists from the capital can travel to Panchagarh by buses also with fares ranging between Tk 800 and Tk 2,000.
From the district town, one can reach Tetulia through various modes of transport including local buses, rented cars, or microbuses.
Accommodation facilities in Tetulia are not adequate considering the volume of tourists. Apart from the Dak Bungalow and a few government rest houses that need prior permission to stay, there are a few hotels and rest houses in Tetulia.
Tourists can stay at hotels in Panchagarh town after completing the mountain sightseeing and roaming in the tea gardens of Tetulia.
Tertulia Upazilla Nirbahi Officer Sohag Chandra Saha said, “The number of visitors in Tetulai has been increasing every year. The government and the private entrepreneurs have started working to set up hotels and guest houses in the upazila to facilitate travel and tourism.”
“The Bangladesh Tourism Board has recently trained 30 house-owners of the area under a project to develop community tourism in the upazila. In this concept, the locals rent out one or two rooms of their houses alongside providing food to the guests and visitors,” he added.
Aminul Islam, an inspector of the Tourist Police in Panchagarh, said several hundred people visit Tetulia daily between October and February. Our patrol teams are active to ensure the security of the visitors.
Senior Vice President, Panchagarh Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Rezaul Islam Reza said, “Besides the seasonal panoramic mountain sightseeing, the area has great importance in the geo-political context also. Banglabandha land port is connected to Asian Highway which has created a huge opportunity to increase trade with different south Asian countries including India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
Observing that the area has become a hub of job generation, he demanded infrastructural development under government initiative to facilitate tourism and trade and commerce in the area.
