Ramsagar Dighi draws heavy tourist rush during winter

The historic Ramsagar Dighi, located at Tajpur village under Dinajpur sadar upazila, is witnessing a significant rush of tourists and educational tour groups during this winter. 

Officials of the Forest Department said the number of domestic and foreign tourists as well as students on study tours increases from the beginning of autumn to the end of winter, creating a festive atmosphere in the Ramsagar area every day. 

Hasan Firoz, an official responsible for the management of the Ramsagar Tourist Centre, said winter is the peak season for tourists. The eight rooms of the Ramsagar Guest House remain fully booked during this period, with tourists making advance reservations through mobile phones. A total of 15 Forest Department staff are engaged in maintaining the site.

VIP tourists often stay at the guest house for several days to enjoy the country's largest man-made water-body and its scenic surroundings. The seating arrangements have been installed along the banks, allowing visitors to enjoy the scenic view of the water. 

With the picnic season underway, around 40 to 50 buses carrying visitors from different areas of the country arrive at Ramsagar almost every day. In addition to the vast water body, Ramsagar has a mini zoo with around 60 to 70 deer. 

Visitors express delight at seeing deer and feeding animals and birds such as monkeys, ostriches and other birds. Artificial statues of animals including ostriches, deer, elephants, donkeys, tigers and lions are also popular spots for photography. 

Visitor Mushfiqur Rahman from Joypurhat sadar upazila said he visited Ramsagar with seven family members and was impressed by the serene environment. Another tourist, Nayan Krishna Roy from Bogura district, said five of them stayed at the guest house for two days and enjoyed the pleasant surroundings. 

Ramsagar National Park ranger Md Shahidul Islam said visitors must purchase tickets at a fixed rate to enter the park and usually return satisfied after enjoying its natural beauty. 

Ramsagar covers an area of 437,492 square metres, including land while the water body is 1,031 metres long and 364 metres wide with an average depth of about 10 metres and embankment height of 13.5 metres. 

Historians believe it was excavated between 1750 and 1755 during the reign of Raja Ramnath (1722-1760) and named after him. 

It is said that about 15,000 labourers worked on the excavation at a cost of around Taka 30,000. Ramsagar came under the supervision of the Forest Department in 1960 and was developed as a modern tourist centre in 1995-96 and declared a national park on April 30, 2001. 

Although declared a national park, overall development work is yet to be completed due to funding constraints, officials stressing that joint efforts by the government and the public are needed to preserve the national heritage and restore its lost beauty.