Mohasthangarh, Nabaratna and Kantaji temple need recognition as world heritage site

Rehennuma Tarannum & Raz Mostafa:

Despite huge prospects, tourism sector in the northern region especially in Bogura, Sirajganj, Rajshahi and Natore has been facing manifolds problem due to lack of proper initiatives by the authorities concerned. The sector has been remained neglected for long for unknown reasons.

Though, the government took many initiatives several times to make the sector vibrant and profitable, the northern region, which is still on the top of the choice of the tourists, has deprived of several advantages. As a result, tourism of this region is not getting pace like other places of the country.

Insiders said, every year about 45 percent of the tourists from abroad choose the northern region for their trips.

But most of them suffer from different disadvantages due to lack of necessary patronization of the authorities concerned. It makes the tourists discouraged and turns them away from this region. Consequently, the government is being deprived of earning huge revenue.

Sources said, about 5 million tourists visit different attractive spots of the northern region including Mohasthangarh in Bogura, Paharpur in Naogaon, Rajbari in Natore and Rajshahi, Tajhat Zamindarbari in Rangpur and Rabindra Kuthibari in Sirajganj each year. Most of them come from abroad. Centering the tourist spots, many business establishments including hotels and restaurants have also been set up at different points in the region.  Those have become source of income for many entrepreneurs as well as opened door of opportunities for many unemployed youths through providing jobs.

According to the information of Archeological Department in Bogura, there are at least 158 historical spots in two divisions-Rajshahi and Rangpur of the northern region. Of them, Uttara Ganabhaban and Rajbari in Natore, Jorh Bangla temple in Pabna, Rabindra Kachharibari in Shahzadpur, Handial mosque in Tarash and Nabaratna temple in Hatikumrul of Sirajganj, Paharpur and Kusumba mosque in Naogaon, Kantaji temple in Dinajpur, Bagha mosque and Rajbari in Rajshahi, antiquity of Kansat and Shibganj and Gour monuments in Chapainawabganj are significant. Thousands of visitors crowd in the spots every day. Most of the spots are opened for visitors, while Tk 10 is realized from each local visitor and Tk 100 from each foreign visitor as entrance fee for visiting the museums. Not only antiquity, the livelihoods and diversity of the indigenous community in the northern region attract foreigners seriously. But, the foreign visitors face difficulties due to poor communication and lack of international standard hotel-motel facilities.

If international standard hotel and motel are established in the region besides improving communication and security measures, it will be possible to earn crores of taka revenue from this sector, relevant sources said.

Several tour agencies said, Cox’s Bazar, Sundarban and Sylhet get highly priority as tourist spots. But, northern region is the main target to the foreign tourists due to several historical and archeological monuments. This is why, preservation of the archeological monuments in the region is a must to expand the tourism industry of the country. Besides, some tourist spots including Mohasthangarh, Nabaratna and Kantaji temple need recognition as world heritage site. If the government pays heed in this regard, the region may turn into a potential tourist spot, they said.

Naheed Sultana, Regional Director of Archeological Department in Bogura (Rajshahi and Rangpur divisional office) told ‘The Daily Sky’ that, “Huge development was done recently centering Mohasthangarh museum after acquiring six acres of land. Besides, measure of several development works has taken to expand tourism of 17 monument sites in the region. If the government allocates sufficient funds to protect and develop the historical and ancient sites, the northern region may turn into a potential tourist zone in the country shortly.”