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Ratargul swamp forest

Ratargul swamp forest is Bangladesh's only recognized swamp forest which is located in Sylhet. This swamp forest is about 26 kilometers away from Sylhet Sadar. The location of this forest is in Fatehpur union of Gowainghat Upazila on the border of Sylhet district.

Goyain River, which flows down from Meghalaya on the north and a huge Haor in the south. Ratargul is in the middle. According to Wikipedia's data, there are only 22 swamp forests in the world. Only two in Indian subcontinent, one is in Sri Lanka and another one is our Ratargul swamp forest.

Ratargul swamp forest


This very beautiful huge forest is compared to the only Amazon. Amazon although known as Rainforest but is the world's largest swamp forest. Ratargul is just like the Amazon but smaller in size.

ratargul swamp forest of bangladesh

Murta or Pati tree is known as Rata tree in local Sylhet language. According to the name of the tree, this forest has been named Rataragul. Like Amazon, most parts of the.There is almost always water in the monsoon season (May - September).

ratargul swamp forest of bangladesh


Best time to visit in Ratargul: Rainy season (May-September) is the best time to visit. The forest looks really different in the rainy season. The water is submerged to the waist height. Little trees are submerged in half of the body, in the water. You can see lots of fishermen fishing with their nets. Forest looks like dark as there are lots of trees. You need to be very careful if you visit in rainy season as there are lots of snakes in the forest. Due to huge water all over the forest, most of the snakes live in the tree.

ratargul swamp forest sylhet


In winter the forest looks like another typical forest, the leaves become dry. And the small canals become a rural road. And then the aquatic creatures are sheltered in the lonely large docks of the forest department.

ratargul swamp forest sylhet


Size of Ratargul: According to forest department- the size of this forest is 325.61 acres. Of these 504 acres of forests was declared wild animals sanctuary in 1973. There are about 25 species of hybrid plants in this forest. Though it is a natural forest department has planted various watery plants including Bet, Kadam, Hijal, and Murtas. Poisonous and not poisonous both types of snakes are here. During the rainy season, water is entered into the forest and these snakes get up on the trees.

ratargul swamp forest bangladesh


Animals: In the forest, various species of wild animals like Mesobaagh, Squirrel, Monkeys, Mongoose, snake and worm snake and Fox will be seen. Tengra, Batasio, Rita, Khailisha, Ritha, Pabda, Maya, Aair, Kalbaush, Rui and many more fishes are found in this forest. Among the birds are the heron, dove, waterfowl, eagle, kite swan, kingfisher, parrot, cotton pygmy goose and other migratory birds.

ratargul swamp forest sylhet bangladesh


Plants: More than seventy-three species of plants are available in the forest.  Among them, Murta also known as the cool mat is the main tree. Hijal and banyan tree is common in the forest. In the south of the forest, the Murta trees will be seen. The forest department has set up a large part of the Murta tree commercially. Murta is used for making mats.

Experience of seeing trees lying beneath the transparent water of Haor in the rainy season is simply awesome. In the winter the forest is different. You can walk through the forest and it looks like a typical village road.

swamp forest, ratargul


To enter the forest, you have travel by boat which is called Dingi in the local language. Once the boat is in the forest and there is no sound! Two words will take you to express your feelings, you will say, "I am fascinated"! And the Bonus will be an excellent way to enter the forest through Gowain River, especially in the rainy season. Apart from this, along with the scenery around the river, you will see the tall green hills of Mizoram in India.

How to go to Ratargul Swamp forest Sylhet: There are several ways to go to Ratargul and you have to go from Sylhet. The first way: from Sylhet to Jaflong: reaching Gowainghat directly through Sarighat on Tamabil road. After that, you have to hire a trawler to reach Ratargul Bit office from Gowainghat. Trawler rent is between 900 – 1500 Taka (both way) and takes two hours. After reaching Bit office hire a boat and enter the forest, boat rent is 200-300 Taka per hour.


swamp forest ratargul sylhet
The second way is to reach Gowainghat with CNG from Amberkhana point of Sylhet, rent will be 500 Taka. Osmani Airport to Shalutikar this road is very beautiful, especially in the rainy season. Then rent a trawler from Gowain Ghat to Rataragul Bit office, rent between 800-1500 Taka (both way) and takes two hours. Ater reaching Bit office you need to a rent a boat and cost will be 200-300 Taka per hour.

In other ways, you can reach Ratargul- from Sylhet's Amberkhana point to Motorghat (via Saheb Bazar) with CNG, it will cost 200-300 Taka and it will take an hour. Then go straight to the forest with a dingy boat from Motor Ghat, it will cost 200-300 Taka per hour. This is the time and money saving route.


Caution: There is no better hotel or lodging for night stay or dinner. So you can take food from Gowainghat or Sylhet. Another thing, it is better not to touch the water while riding in the boat. 


There are also many leftover insects, the poisonous snakes in the rainy season are found in the water or in the tree. It is important to keep a life jacket if you don't know swimming.


swamp forest ratargul

Apart from this, you have to take an umbrella, cap or sunny hat. Here the boats are very small. Don't visit more than five people in a single boat. Another thing- Please do not drop the polyethylene, bottle, chips, biscuits, etc in water. We have the responsibility of protecting our own natural resources. Good luck and happy journey to Ratargul swamp forest.

35 comments:

  1. Mehn i just love this photos they so cool

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  2. I would love to visit this place! I love the rugged outdoor places that people live.

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  3. Historic, interesting read, nice picture of collection is also here...

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  4. Unique and very beautiful photos here. Thanks for sharing this article.

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  5. Very beautiful images and a clear description of the place

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  6. Love your description of heritage sites

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  7. Wow just wow those photos are amazing and I love your adventures, thanks for sharing.

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  8. These Images are so Beautiful Which Camera you can Use to Capture these Images i really want that...

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  9. Adventure place with beautiful pictures ����

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  10. I might just have to start a new bucket list of World Heritage sites. What a great way to see places of such international importance.

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  11. Would love to visit Bangladesh someday. Have only been to the borders as Dawki. Great post.

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  12. I have never been to Bangladesh, but I really would like to go to see this country and, of couse, Ratargul swamp forest for wild animals, if they are not dangerous :)

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  13. photos in this article make me like it
    Keep up sharing great image

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  14. Nice information. Really helpful for those who are going to visit Bangladesh soon.

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  15. I love to visit this place ��

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  16. Good information. Beautiful pictures

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  17. Its a lovely place to visit, refreshing in the eyes because of green scenery.

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  18. Wow!!! I need to visit. I love seeing all of the World Heritage sites, so this is going on the list!

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  19. Very interesting. Thanks for the information.

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  20. The pictures are really awesome! I love them

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  21. This is so different than what I have seen geographically. It would be a shock and delight to visit in person.

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  22. what an interesting an exotic forest! i would love to visit there one day with my family.

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  23. I have never been to a swamp forest, but I have always wanted to go! This is so beautiful but I didn't know about the snakes living in the trees!

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  24. that looks like a great adventure through the swamp forest... I love the boats that take you through it all. I would love to experience this in person some day to see the beautiful scenery and some of the animals, the snake worm sounds gross looking but I'm interested to know what it looks like ; )
    Great Photos by the way, truly stunning!

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  25. Oh, my goodness! This is so cool! I have never ever been to a swamp - let alone a swamp forest before? This looks so amazing! But, I think I would be also scared too!

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  26. I have always wanted to visit the swampy areas and see all of the forest and the amazing trees and life around. This looks so cool there. Although I am sure there are some pretty crazy species out there.

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  27. Wow this looks really cool -- I have always wanted to do something like this. So cool but no way I'm seeing snakes in trees....terrifying!

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  28. Wow, this is so beautiful. I felt like I was riding in that boat reading your post. Now I'd like to visit in person!

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  29. Wow this is such a marvellous forest and such beauty!! Love those cute little boats, would love to take a ride in those. I like your useful specially the one about not touching water while in boat.

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  30. What a beautiful area! I love all of the green. I would be a little nervous riding around in the boat, but it looks like it would be a beautiful ride!

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  31. So cool! I've never heard of this place. The pictures are beautiful and I'm going to have to show my kids as part of a geography lesson. So much great information!

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  32. Looks like a natural treasure, love this nature and the wide vast land

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