Moulvibazar gets tourist bus service

The Moulvibazar district administration yesterday launched a bus service to facilitate travel for both domestic and foreign tourists so as to encourage more people to visit the region.

The service will feature two packages, with one 40-seater bus allocated for each.

Under the first package, a tourist bus will start its journey from Sreemangal to Barlekha every day at 9:00am. The second bus will travel from Barlekha to Sreemangal at the same time.

Barlekha, Kulaura, Kamalganj and Sreemangal upazilas are home to numerous tea gardens.

Besides, there are natural springs, the Madhabkunda waterfall, Lawachara national park, Gagantila hill, Khasi villages, Hakaluki haor, Madhabpur Lake, and Sitesh Babu's zoo among other places to visit.

Tourists from home and abroad flock to enjoy the scenery but due to a lack of ideal transportation, they are often deprived of enjoying the full beauty as they only get to see about half of the region.

They even sometimes get into trouble while trying to navigate the district on their own.

So, the administration decided to introduce the tourist bus service in Moulvibazar to help arrange quick and easy visits at comparatively cheaper costs to local tourist centres.

Saju Marchiang, a tour guide of the Lawachara forest, said the administration's initiative deserves praise.

"This will significantly increase the number of foreign tourists in the district," he added.

Arnab Malakar, assistant commissioner of the Moulvibazar district administration, told The Daily Star that the divisional commissioner officially inaugurated the tourist bus service.

"Customers will also be informed about the rent rates and what food will be provided. In case of any emergency, two mobile numbers for communication will also be provided," Malakar added.

Mir Nahid Ahsan, deputy commissioner of Moulvibazar, said this initiative was adding a new feature to Moulvibazar.

"It will help attract more local and foreign travellers to witness the beauty of Moulvibazar," he added.