Known as Mini Cox's Bazar, the Halti Beel of Natore has turned into a major spot of attraction for thousands of tourists in the country.
The water body, situated 5 km east of Natore town, turns into a vast ocean during the rainy season. The road crossing the beel goes underwater, increasing the beauty of the beel further. Villages situated inside the beel look like isolated islands.
Those who cannot afford to visit Cox's Bazar, come with their families and friends to Halti Beel to enjoy the serene beauty of the vast water body.
People living inside beel villages informed, they were happy with a large number of visitors during the rainy season when the beel is full to its brim with water.
Local sources said the tourists have already started to visit the area at the beginning of the monsoon and take boats to drift around. Considering these tourists, a five-story restaurant has been launched recently.
Boatman is expecting more visitors compared to last year.
During a visit, this correspondent found that most of the submersible road built through the middle of the beel is flooded, with water flowing over the road. Various vehicles are moving through this water, and sometimes visitors are bathing and enjoying themselves in the beel's water.
Meanwhile, Oasis Restaurant has been opened. This restaurant offers visitors fast food, Chinese food, and improved traditional Bengali cuisine. It also has a conference room and tea and coffee facilities. From the restaurant, one can enjoy the beel's water and natural beauty. Additionally, the restaurant offers overnight stays, which is increasing the number of visitors.
The restaurant's chairman, Ashfaqul Islam, said that the restaurant was inaugurated on Saturday to enhance various facilities, including lodging and food for visitors.
Monirul Islam, a boatman from Kholabari village, said that he has been operating boats for tourists in the Halti beel for almost 20 years.
This year, they started boat operations 3-4 days ago, and the number of visitors is gradually increasing.
In response to a question, he said that his boat can accommodate 40-50 visitors at a time. If the boat is reserved, the cost is Tk 200-300, and for individual passengers, it's Tk 40-50 per person for a tour around the four villages in the beel.
Another boatman, Badol, mentioned that he has been operating boats in the beel for the past 4-5 years. From Patul Point, he takes visitors to Halti village, Ekdala, Dighirpar, and Kholabaria village in the middle of the beel and drops them off.
In response to a question, he said that there are over a hundred boatmen in this mini Cox's Bazar. Already, more than half of the boats have started operating, and the number of visitors is increasing daily. He expects the number of visitors to increase this year compared to previous years.
Advocate Sirajul Islam, a resident of Kholabaria village, mentioned that every year, during the entire rainy season, tourists come to Halti beel from various districts across the country. Currently, the beel has coffee houses, tea stalls, hotels, and also a well-established Oasis restaurant.
He expects that with the increasing number of visitors this year, residents will have more employment opportunities and increased income.
People of the area have requested the local Member of Parliament to increase infrastructural facilities at the beel side.
Deputy Commissioner of Natore Abu Naser Bhuiyan said that some projects have been taken to increase facilities for tourists in the Patul Ghat area.
He sought cooperation from the private sector as well to increase the facility of tourists at Patul Ghat of the Halti Beel area.
