Moulvibazar Tourism Sector Eyes Tk 30 Crore in Business

Surrounded by scenic hills, vast tea gardens, clear lakes and lush forests, Sreemangal, known as the tea capital of Bangladesh, and the wider Moulvibazar district are preparing to welcome tourists during the upcoming Durga Puja holidays. With a five-day holiday approaching, tourist destinations are gearing up for increased visitors. Hotel and resort bookings are rising, while tourism-related businesses are preparing for a busy period. Industry stakeholders expect tourism-related business in Moulvibazar to reach around Tk 300 million during the holidays.

Tourists from different parts of the country are expected to visit the region from October 19 to 23. Popular destinations, including Sreemangal’s tea gardens, Lawachara National Park, Madhabpur Lake and Baikka Beel, are likely to attract large crowds. Durga Puja celebrations at temples inside tea gardens are also adding a distinctive attraction to the region.

Tourism-related businesses say the benefits extend beyond hotels and resorts. Restaurants, transport services, local food vendors, tea-leaf sellers and handicraft businesses are also expected to benefit from the increased number of visitors, boosting the local economy.

Sreemangal is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Sylhet Division. Its rolling hills, sprawling tea gardens, pineapple plantations, forests and lakes attract domestic and foreign visitors throughout the year. Tourists also visit various attractions across Moulvibazar from Sreemangal.

Major attractions in and around Sreemangal include Lawachara National Park, Baikka Beel, Madhabpur Lake, the Bangladesh Wildlife Service Foundation, the Tea Museum, Bhadura Lake, Jagchhara Lake, the Tea Girl sculpture, the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial of 1971, Deenston Cemetery, the Harinchhara Golf Field, Khasi villages, and villages inhabited by the Manipuri and Tripura communities.

Other popular destinations include Ham Ham Waterfall and the memorial of Bir Shreshtha Hamidur Rahman at Dhalai Tea Garden in Kamalganj. Elsewhere in the district, visitors can explore Madhabkunda Waterfall and Hakaluki Haor in Barlekha, Hail Haor, Kamala Rani’s Dighi in Rajnagar, Kauadighi Haor, Khojar Mosque and Barshijora Eco Park in Moulvibazar Sadar, and Gagantila, Kalapahar and Murichhara Eco Park in Kulaura. Visitor numbers at these destinations are also expected to rise during the holidays.

According to tourism business operators, a tourist staying overnight may spend an average of Tk 5,000–6,000 on accommodation, food, transport and entertainment. An increase in overnight visitors could therefore generate significant business for local enterprises.

Stakeholders expect the holiday rush to benefit not only hotels and resorts but also restaurants, transport operators, small businesses and sellers of local products. However, the projected Tk 300 million in business is an estimate based on industry expectations.

Haji Md Nurul Islam, general secretary of the Sreemangal Hotel Owners Association, said, “Tourists have started arriving in Sreemangal even before the upcoming Sharadiya Durga Puja holidays begin. Considering the overall situation, we expect a significant gathering of tourists this time. To ensure uninterrupted service for arriving guests, several restaurants in the town, including Noor Foods Restaurant, are preparing to remain open 24 hours a day.”

Arman Khan, general manager of Grand Sultan Tea Resort and Golf, said tourists regularly visit Sreemangal to enjoy its green tea gardens and forested hills, and the Puja holidays would be no exception. He said, “Our resort is fully booked until October 23 for this year’s Puja holidays.”

He added that upgrading the Dhaka-Sylhet highway to four lanes and reopening Shamshernagar Airport would create new opportunities for the region’s tourism industry. These improvements would make travel easier for domestic and foreign tourists while benefiting hotels, resorts and local businesses of all sizes.

Md Kamrul Hossain Chowdhury, in-charge of Sreemangal Tourist Police, said Moulvibazar receives a large number of tourists during the Puja holidays. As most of the district’s popular tourist destinations are located in and around Sreemangal, the area experiences particularly heavy crowds.

He said, “We estimate that 15,000 to 20,000 tourists may gather here every day during this year’s Puja holidays. The Tourist Police have taken the necessary measures to ensure the overall safety of tourists. Our teams will remain on duty in the field around the clock so that visitors can travel without disruption.”

Sreemangal Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Ziaur Rahman said, “The upazila administration has taken the necessary measures to ensure that Sharadiya Durga Puja is celebrated peacefully, without disruption and in a festive atmosphere. Emphasis is being placed on maintaining law and order, ensuring security and coordinating among the relevant departments.”

He said the administration and law enforcement agencies were working together to ensure visitors’ safety, ease traffic congestion, manage crowds and reduce public inconvenience at tourist destinations. The administration was also taking precautions to ensure that everyone could enjoy the celebrations peacefully while maintaining religious harmony. He sought public cooperation to keep Sreemangal safe, harmonious and welcoming to tourists.

Moulvibazar-4 (Sreemangal-Kamalganj) lawmaker Alhaj Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury told Daily Inqilab that tourist arrivals in Sreemangal and Kamalganj were increasing. Preparations to ensure tourists’ safety and maintain a festive atmosphere during Durga Puja had begun a month earlier.

He said he had raised issues related to tourism development and improved facilities for visitors in Parliament four times. He was also working to upgrade the road from Mirpur in Shayestaganj to Moulvibazar to four lanes to make travel easier for tourists.

Referring to his election pledges, the lawmaker said the commitment to expand the boundaries of Sreemangal Municipality had been fulfilled. He added that plans were underway to bring the entire town under surveillance through modern, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered CCTV cameras.

To strengthen security during the Puja holidays, he said he had requested the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) to deploy additional police personnel. Coordination meetings were also being held regularly with the local administration. He assured that the necessary steps would be taken to protect both tourists and local residents.

Tourism stakeholders say Moulvibazar’s natural beauty and diverse attractions have made it one of the country’s most appealing travel destinations. However, rising visitor numbers also make it essential to control traffic congestion, improve road connectivity, ensure quality accommodation and safe transport, maintain food standards, and prevent excessive charges.

They believe that planned tourism management, better transport infrastructure, adequate security and visitor-friendly services could help the sector grow beyond holiday-based business. With the right measures, tourism could generate year-round employment and become a major driver of the local economy.