The writer on top of Aiyang Tlang hill
The one highest hill of Bangladesh, above 3000 feet has been discovered recently at Thanchi upozila under Bandarban district. The hill, locally known as "Aiyang Tlang" was measured 3298 feet high above sea level with a Global positioning system (GPS) device.
Earlier 30 years back Mr. Van Rausang Bawm, now 72 years old man from local "Bawm ethnic community" of "Dalian headman para" of "Remakri" mouja, found this hill as a member of Bawm ethnic community.
On November 11th 2019, Engineer Jyotirmoy Dhar went to Dalian Headman para of Thanchi upojila and collected proper information about this undiscovered hill and its pick. With the help of local "Bawm" indigenous people, Engineer I started my adventure and operation and on 13th November I made the summit in the top peak of this newly discovered hill "Aiyang Tlang".
The hills longitude is 21°40?23.78?N and latitude is 92°36?16.01?E. The location of this newly discovered hill in the middle of Zow Tlang (The unofficially 2nd highest peak of Bangladesh) and Jogi Haphong (another peak above 3000 feet).
This newly discovered hill "Aiyang Tlang", 300 meters inside from Bangladesh -Myanmar border line. The headman (chieftain) of "Dalian headman para" Mr. Lal Ram Bawm" recognized this summit and issued a letter to me. I am the first Bangladeshi who made first summit to this newly discovered hill and peak "Aiyang Tlang". This summit and discovery recorded also nearest BGB camp.
I dedicated this discovery and summit to my beloved person Dr. Rini Dhar and on her name I kept the name of this newly discovered peak in Bengali Language "Rinir Chura" (Rini's Peak) and hills name "Rinir pahar" (Rini's Hill). I am interested to further explore the natural sites of Bangladesh and to expose the beauty and diversity of the country to the world. Some other high hills of the Chittagong Hill Tracts are as follows according to Wikipedia.
Saka Haphong: Unofficially the highest peak of Bangladesh is Saka Haphong at Mowdok range on the border with Myanmar. In February 2006 a GPS reading of 1,064 meters was recorded on this summit by English adventurer Ginge Fullen. The location he recorded, 21°47?11?N 92°36?36?E, accurately matches the location given by Russian topographic mapping and SRTM data, although these sources show its height to be slightly lower, at 1,052 meters.
However, SRTM data has been demonstrated to have about 5-9m vertical accuracy, while most tracking grade handheld GPS receivers also have several meters of vertical inaccuracy. Only accurate DGPS or RTK-GPS survey, or airborne LIDAR/photogrammetric survey can yield more accurate result.
Recently two trekking clubs counted the height of "Saka Haphong" as 3,488 and 3,461 feet respectively. Any of these two figures would make it the highest mountain in Bangladesh exceeding the height of Keokaradong, which is 3,172 feet high.
This peak is also known as Mowdok Taung (as per USGS Topo and Russian Topo map), Saka Haphong (by local Tripura tribes). Mowdok Taung was the official name that appeared in all British India topographic maps of 1938, 1939 and 1948 which is also reflected in US Army Corps of Engineers Map of 1954.
Because no name change notification by the governments of India till 1947, government of Pakistan till 1971 or the Government of Bangladesh afterward was found anywhere, 'Mowdok Taung' still presumably remains as the official and the most authentic name for this peak. Since 2007 till now route to Saka Haphong is the most desired trekking route for adventure lovers in Bangladesh.
Zow Tlang: Zow Tlang is guarding the eastern horizon of Bangladesh and Myanmar border. In Bawm language the term Zow means Mizo (Mizo is derived from Mizoram, India. Probable reason is that Bangladesh was a part of greater India before 1947) and Tlang means Mountain.
According to American and Russian topographic maps Zow Tlang is mentioned as Mowdok Mual. As per Bangla Trek, it is the second highest peak of the country; though it is not officially recognized by the government till date. Many accomplished local adventurers describe this as one of the wildest peak of Bangladesh.
The peak was first summitted in 2005 by two Bangladeshi adventurers, Subrata Das Nitish and Bijoy Shankar Kar. The same team summitted the mountain again in 2007. The altitude couldn't be measured in these two expeditions as the team wasn't carrying any GPS device.
On January 12, 2012, the peak was summitted for the third time by the Bangla Trek team members Tashdid Rezwan Mugdho, Tarikul Alom Sujon, Salehin Arshady and SM Mainul. Measured altitude and Geo location of the peak by their Garmin eTrex 20 was 1021.69 meter and 21°40'23.78?N & 92°36'16.01?E.
Two of the team members, Mugdho and Sujon died in a tragic bus accident on their way back to Bandarban after the expedition. The other two members, Salehin and Mainul suffered serious injuries and it took them a long time to recover.
On October 13, 2013, a team led by Shahzaman Chowdhury Hira became the third team to summit the peak at 1400 hrs. This team was having 6 members - Sharfaraj Hussain Jony, Sidratul Afia Mohona, Mahbubur Rahman, Abdullah Anas Oni and Baqui Billah Milon. Member of this team Mohona was the first woman ever to summit this very peak. Several other teams have made their way to the summit in last few years.
Dumlong: In 2011 Md. Wadud Mohosin Rubel with his three travel fellows, Asif Aminur Rashid, Nagib Meshkat & Abdul Haque have claimed the mountain "Dumlong" to be the second highest mountain; on the basis of Garmin GPS they have measured the height of the mountain which is 3314 feet.
The location he recorded, 22°02?02.1?N 92°35?36.3?E, accurately matches the location given by Google Earth. Few months after this expedition, travelers of Bangladesh team led by Zaqiul Deep measured this peak which was 3,312 feet. Few months later Fahim hasan of BD Explorer Reached the summit of Dumlong as 3rd team. Surely there is no doubt about the height of Dumlong peak but whether it is the 2nd or 3rd Highest peak of the country, is not confirmed yet.
It is the highest peak of Rangamati hill district and also the one of only three 1000 meters peaks in Bangladesh. In 2014, several teams have summitted Zow Tlang and based on their readings it can be said that Dumlong is the third highest peak of the country.
Keokradong: Although it is widely reported to be the highest point in Bangladesh at 1230 meters, recent SRTM data, GPS readings and Russian topographic mapping show that its true height is less than 1,000 meters.On the top of Keokradong there is a small shelter and a signboard put up by the Bangladeshi military proclaiming the altitude to be 3172 feet.
Garmin GPS recorded 974 meters (3196 feet) at this location, a different team measured 986m with 3m accuracy by GPS, a measurement consistent with Russian topographic mapping and SRTM data. It is at 21°57?00?N 92°30?53?E. USGS and Russian mapping dispute the claim that this is the location correctly named Keokradong. They show Keokradong at an 883m summit further north.
The writer is an amateur explorer and an engineer
---Jyotirmoy Dhar
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