Unveiling the Wonders of Lawachara National Park

Moulvibazar Correspondent :
Located in the northeastern region of Bangladesh, Lawachara National Park stands as a testament to the country’s commitment to environmental conservation. Spread across 1,250 hectares of lush greenery, this protected area is home to an astonishing array of flora and fauna, making it a haven for biodiversity enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.
The park, established in 1996, encompasses a diverse range of habitats, including tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, as well as hill forests. Within its borders, visitors can encounter a rich tapestry of plant species, including towering trees, vibrant orchids, and rare medicinal herbs.
History of Lawachara National Park
The 1956 Michael Anderson film “Around the World in 80 Days” featured part of this forest as Phileas Fogg traveled across the Indian subcontinent in his seemingly impossible challenge. The 2008 Humayun Ahmed film “Amar Ache Jol” also featured the park.
The history of Lawachara National Park is relatively unknown. Historically, the area around Moulvibazar has been shrouded with hillocks here and there.
In 1925, the British government introduced a tree plantation program in the Bhanugach area. Over the next three decades, the massive plantation took the shape of the West BhanugachReserve forest which was formally recognized in the 1950s.
Bangladesh Government recognized Lawachara as a protected national park on July 7, 1996 under the Wildlife Act of 1974.
How to Get to Lawachara National Park?
There are several ways to get to Lawachara National Park. Visitors wanting to visit the park will need to get to Sreemangal first. There’s an option for both trains and buses to get to Sreemangal from Dhaka.
The Upaban/Jayantika, Parabat, Kalni, and Surma Mail Express trains go to Sylhet via Sreemangal. The typical cost of a ticket is around 240 BDT excluding VAT for a chair coach seat.
There are several points in Dhaka like TT Para, Chittagong Road, Kalyanpur, and Maniknagar from where buses leave for Sreemangal. Options for buses include Shymoli, Hanif, Ena, etc. The price of a ticket is around 570 BDT (Non-AC) and 700 BDT (AC).
From Sreemangal, visitors will either need to hire a CNG-run autorickshaw or a Chander Gari to get to the national park. The cost of a whole-day reservation for a CNG-run autorickshaw is around 1200 to 1500 BDT, and for Chander Gari it is around 1800 to 2000 BDT.
What to Do in Lawachara National Park?
Lawachara National Park is a reserve forest. So it is not possible to stay inside the park overnight. Visitors will have to get an entry ticket for 50 BDT. For students and children, the ticket is 20 BDT and for foreign nationals, it is 500 BDT. There’s an additional 25 BDT fee for parking reserved vehicles. Tour guides inside the forest will cost around 300 BDT for 1 hour.
Lawachara National Park is home to 460 different species including plants, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The park is famous for being the sanctuary for endangered western hoolock gibbons (Ulluk). Other rare animals including Bengal slow loris, leopard cat, barking deer, capped langur, and Burmese pythons are mentionable.
There are also about 159 plant species in the park. Notable among them are the Ficus (fig) and Syzygium (brush cherries). These two have the most diverse genera in the park. The original indigenous forest was completely wiped off during the 1920s. What remains today are mostly secondary forests.
Hiking through the Trail
The Lawachara National Park is relatively small with its 12 sq km of area. As a result, it is possible to easily trek the park. The park also has small streams and hills which will make the hike an enjoyable as well as an adventurous one.