The island of silence and tranquility

Nijhum Dwip is previously known as Char Osmani, Baluar Char, Golden Island, etc. which is located at Hatiya Upazila in Noakhali District Bangladesh. It was named 'Nijhum Dwip' by former Minister Amirul Islam Kalam in 1979 observing its isolation and mild nature.It is a little island occupying 164 Square kilometres, is a great tourist attraction in Bangladesh. It is surrounded by Bay of Bengal and Meghna River. Nijhum Dwip is a cluster of Islands. With the combination of Ballar Char, Kamlar Char, Char Osman and Char Muriform the Nijhum Island. Recently the government of Bangladesh declares this island as Nijhum Dwip National Park.

A cluster of islands (mainly, Ballar Char, Kamlar Char, Char Osman and Char Muri) emerged in the early 1950s as an alluvium in the shallow estuary of the Bay of Bengal on the south of Noakhali. These new sandbanks first drew the notice of a group of fishermen, who named it Baular Char (literally, the alluvium of sand) later transformed into Ballar Char. Occupying an area of 14,050 acres the island situated between 21 0 1 / to 22 0 6 /north latitude and 90 0 3 / to 91 0 4 / east longitude.

During winter, thousands of migratory birds flock in to island. The fishermen use the airy and sunny land as an ideal place for drying their catches from the sea. Sometimes many of them also construct straw huts on the island as seasonal residences.In 1974 the Forest Department took a forestation program for duration of twenty years in the north side of the island. Covering an area of nine thousand acres, it has now developed into a deep forest with a variety of plant species. Among the trees Keora is much seen. Besides this Gewa, Kankra, Bain, Babul, Karamja, Pashur and many other species are seen.

On 8 April 2001 the government declared the 40390 acres of forest of Jahajmara range including 9550 acres of forest land on Nijhum Dwip as a National Park for the protection and development of the biodiversity of the forest.