Tanguar Haor: No houseboats to be allowed in specific areas

The Sunamganj District Administration has suspended the entry of houseboats into the watchtower area and adjacent zones within Tanguar Haor until further notice, in a bid to protect its fragile biodiversity and natural environment.

The order was issued through an emergency notice signed by Deputy Commissioner (routine charge) Mohammad Rezaul Karim on June 22.

The district administration also instructed its local units to remain on high alert to prevent any harm to the ecosystem of Tanguar Haor, the country's second Ramsar Conservation Site.

Visitors to other tourist spots in Sunamganj have been urged to strictly follow official guidelines during travel.

Legal action will be taken against anyone violating the directive, the notice added.

Contacted, Mohammad Rezaul Karim said, "We are not restricting houseboats from Tanguar Haor entirely, but from entering certain areas to conserve the biodiversity and environment. When numerous boats gather at the watchtower, it disrupts the ecosystem of this particular part of the Ramsar Conservation Site."

Over the years, Tanguar Haor has become a popular tourist destination, with hundreds of houseboats navigating its waters during summer and monsoon. Environmentalists have raised concerns as the haor's biodiversity is increasingly under threat.