Tanguar Haor is called the native fish reservoir or ‘Mother Fisheries’. It is the second-largest freshwater lake in Bangladesh, which is rich in biodiversity.
A sanctuary for migratory birds and native fish, the Haor is Bangladesh’s second internationally recognized ‘Ramsar site’ after the Sundarbans.
Tanguar haor is composed of about 120 small and big haors of Sunamganj. But there are 54 main hours. In addition, many canals and canals are scattered like a net inside this Haor. During the monsoon season, all the canals, bills and drains merge and form the sea. Haor’s entire area, including 46 Tahirpur and Dharmapasha upazilas villages, is about 100 square kilometres, of which 2 lakh 80 thousand 236 hectares are wetlands.
Winter and monsoon. During these two times, the number of tourists in Howrah increased. I want to say goodbye to the mechanized urban life even for a few days and get lost in the unknown. And if that unknown is the area surrounded by Hao, then there is no question. The first name that comes to mind when talking about Haor is Tangua’s Haor. “Daughter of Haor” The kingdom of Haor covers a large area of Tahirpur and Dharmapasha upazilas of Sunamganj.
Tanguar Haor is called the native fish reservoir or ‘Mother Fisheries’. There are more than 141 species of freshwater fish in this lake. Also, there are 150 species of plants, about 208 species of birds, 11 species of amphibians, 6 species of turtles, 7 species of chameleons and 21 species of snakes in Hawar. This Haor is also home to 26 endangered species of wild animals. A rare species of Palaser fish eagle is often seen in Tangua Haor.
The unique feature of Tangua Haor is that it takes different forms in different seasons. During the monsoon season, the whole of this Haor is submerged in water and at the beginning of winter, the water starts to decrease gradually. In winter, the water of Haor stagnates at the bottom. Then a large part of the Haor dries up. This Haor is a reservoir of trees, fish, birds and natural bio-diversity, and this is very popular with tourists. While the monsoon season is considered the ideal time to visit Tanguare Haore, many people also visit Haore in winter to see the visiting birds.
The description of Tanguar Haor’s form is not worth writing. This Haor becomes unique in its two types of beauty in these two seasons, monsoon and winter. However, most tourists say Tanguar Haor is at its best during the monsoons.
During monsoons, gardens of hijal and karach trees stand high above the horizon. Then the villages of Haor seem like small islands. To the north of Haor are the green Meghalaya Hills, and at the foot of the hill lies the Freedom Valley, Shaheed Siraj Lake, and Niladri DC Park. White clouds fly in the sky all day long in this region, surrounded by clouds. In the afternoon sun, the water of Haor became blue with the shadow of the clouds. Then the whole area feels like a dream.
In the winter season, as the water in Howar is low, one can walk through the Hijal and Karach gardens. At this time, Tanguar Haor is one of the largest sanctuaries for native and migratory birds. January-February is the most bird-watching time in Howar.
Many tourists from different parts of the country visit Tanguare Haor every year. Once upon a time, it was thought that visiting this place only with friends was possible. But nowadays, modern and comfortable boats are available for accommodation, now it is possible to visit this harbour easily with family members. Besides, the security system of the entire Howar is also much better than ever before. Local administration and law enforcement forces ensure the maximum level of security for tourists. The observation tower will bring the entire Hoor within sight.
Now there are good facilities for tourists to visit Tangua Haor. Several small and big boats with all modern facilities are available for rent for tourists during the monsoon season. But it is better to contact in advance to rent these boats. The local authorities have recently fixed the fares for boat trips in Howar. Along with the boat, there are speedboats as well. But the speedboat fare is relatively high. Speedboats are good for those who want to get around in less time.
Uniquely beautiful ‘Jadukata’ and ‘Patlai’ rivers flow by the side of Tanguar Haor. These two rivers and Haor travel are the centres of interest for tourists. As the water of these two rivers wavers, the scenery on both sides is also unique. One can go along the magical river to Barek Hill on the Indian border. And the huge Shimul garden on the magical bank is also full of flowers from February to March.
How to go
To go to Tanguare Haor, you must go to the Sunamganj district first. Sunamganj can be directly reached by road from Dhaka. Besides, you can easily go to Sunamganj from any part of Bangladesh via Sylhet. From Sunamganj, you must go to Taherpur by Laguna or an auto rickshaw. Passengers are also transported by motorbike on this route.
Various boats are available for hire to travel from Taherpur to Tanguare Haor. These boats usually anchor at Golabari, the main entrance to Tanguare Haor. No motorized boats are allowed in Haor Inner Bird Sanctuary. So from there, you have to hire a small boat to travel to Howrah.