Sundarbans of Sylhet: The Ratargul Swamp Forest

A few days ago I was meeting with my friends. Leaving the hustle and bustle of the black smoke's mechanical life, everyone was relaxing to breathe in the clear air. We are strolling people, we can go somewhere when getting a little leisure.

Together, I decided to go for the 'Sundarban of Sylhet' or 'Amazon of Bangladesh', famous 'Ratargul Swamp Forest'. This is the only freshwater forest in Bangladesh. According to data available on Wikipedia, there are only 22 freshwater forest around the world. The Indian subcontinent has two.

One in Sri Lanka, another in our Ratargul. During the rainy season is great time to travel. Unseen beauty is the only Amazon to compare with this huge forest. Known as the rain forest, but it is the largest swamp forest in the world. Even though we have been there before and want to go again. Frankly, if anyone goes to the Swamp Forest, you will want to go again.

Murta or Patigach is known as 'Ratagach' in the local language of Sylhet. The forest is named after that murtha or ratta tree. Like Amazon, most of the plants here are underwater for four to five months a year. The Meghalaya river of India falls into the Gowain river and a narrow stream there flows through the Chengi canal to flood entire the Ratargul.

This is a strange state in the rainy season. At this time the trees are submerged in water up to its waist. The smaller ones, the lower half of the body is submerged in water. 73 species of plants could be found in the forest till now. 80 percent of the forest area is covered with umbrella of the trees.

Because of the dense vegetation, the whole forest looks like darkness. Occasionally the tree stops the path. However, it must be very careful in the forest due to this is the snake's arena. During the rainy season, the snake grows on the trees. Snake and  worm snake can widely be seen in this water-drowned forest. Mongoose can be seen in dry season.

Monkey and Water Monitor also resides in the forest. Heron, Egret, Kingfisher, Parrot, Bulbul, Swan, Dove, Water fowl, Eagle and Kite Bird are some of the birds of the swamp forest. Cotton Pygmy Goose and other Migratory birds and Vulture visit the forest in winter. Name of some local fishes available in the forest are Batasio, Rita, Pabda, Rohu etc. Its area is 3, 325.61 acre including 504 acre declared as the animal sanctuary in 2015.

During the monsoon season, Ratargul is covered in the water. Some of us jumped on the boat for fear of seeing the water right there. We left with two boats. Here the kids also ride boats. In addition to studying, they earn a boat rental upon leisure time.

When our boat is in the middle of Haor, the sky is covered with thick black clouds. It is not understood that it will rain. Suddenly the jhum began to rain. Many like us have left for the Ratargul. Some had an umbrella to protect. But we had no umbrella. So I decided to watch the Ratargul soaked in rain.

There were two small boys in the middle of our boat. They caught the music. We entered the Ratargul. Oh, what a look! Unless you see it, you would not believe it - this is our Evergreen Bangladesh. Indeed Bengal is the best form of the world. Most of the time we rode around the forest by boat. Then I got up at the watch tower. There, the view of the entire ratargul is spectacular. The rain wet ratargul is really nice. We were there for about two hours.

How to go:

Sylhet city has to go from Dhaka first. Road, rail and sky can be directly accessed from Dhaka to Sylhet. This forest is located in Fatehpur union of Gowainghat in Sylhet district, south of the river Guwain. It is about 26 km from Sylhet city. Car or CNG auto rickshaws can go there. Then take the dinghy boat and watch the Ratargul.

Warning:

There is no living and eating system. So you have to take a light meal and return to Sylhet again. If you want to avoid the rain and sun, it is better to have an umbrella.


The writer is a social worker and columnist.