Jahan Ara Begum
A & AO
Financial Management Academy
SAS Part-1, Training is a regular task of Financial Management Academy (FIMA). I was the Course Co-coordinator of batch 125thSAS part-1 Training. Study tour was a part of this training. I had a desire to go to “Bogalake” for long since I came to know about the beauty and different interesting story of this place. So I made a plan to visit “Bogalake”. I was the team leader of 8 member’s team.
Where “Bogalake” is situated:It is situated in Ruma Upozila under Bandarban District. It is oneof the best tourism place I have ever seen not only in Chittagong but all over the country. This lake is about 1700 kilometer up above the hill with 15 acre land. Lots of odd or imaginary stories are related with this place.
It was a cloudy day of Ashar. Sometimes it was raining. We started our journey from Dhaka and reachedBandarban townafter facing lots of obstacle on the way. By the by I had a travelling mentality from my childhood. So I don’t care any danger if I plan to visit any place. However, we hired a jeep which was locally named as Chander Gari. It is the only vehicle to visit “Bogalake”. We were enjoying the natural beauty ofBandarban. As it was drizzling my mind was filled with joy. We started singing a song of Rabindranath;
“Amono Dine Tare Bola Jai
Amono Ghono Ghor Borishai”
Jahan Ara Begum is seen singing at a FIMA function.
Why it is called“Bogalake”:At the time of our journey we tried to discover why it was called “Bogalake”? There are few stories about this.The driver ofChander Gari told us that there lived two snakesin the hillsand they used to eat any animal or bird whenever they would come to drink. One day a tribal man saw this and along with others planned to kill the snakes and they did it and the small lake change into a large lake. Since then it’s called “Bogalake” which means a large lake.
Another story of “Bogalake” is that there were three big heronsthat came to drink and took rest in the small lake on the hill. One day the king of the tribe killed them. Instantly all the houses and people over there were destroyed and the small lake was turned into a large lake. Since that time it was called “Bogalake” after the killed herons.Actually there is no authentic source why its name is “Bogalake”?
At the time of moving by the Chandar Gari it seemed to us we were on boat. Because, the condition of the road was so bad that sometimes we were feeling like flowing over the road. There were lots of large holes on that road. When the vehicle was plying, the child who wasaged may be 6 or 7 years accompanying us was crying and telling that who had made this crazy plan to come here to Bogalake. Hearing his remarks, the whole team was burst into laughter.
Well, we started our journey very early in the morning from the city of “Bandarban”.At last we came to Ruma Upozilla Bazar. It’s about 90 kilometer far from the city. At this point, we had to change our Chander Gari because we needed a strongerChander Gari. Meanwhile several times we were warned by security people on the way when they registered our particulars. We were afraid when they tried to alert us about the danger of the place. We had to give a certificate as to the risk of the journey.
We started our journey from Ruma Upozilla at 4 pm. We hired a guide there. We reached 11 Kilo ( a name of place) after two hours. Still we had 7/8 kilo ahead from our destination. But we had to cross this way without any vehicle I mean on foot. Some of our membershad already become sick and they told me that they would not proceed any more towards“Bogalake”. They told me they would rather pass that night there (11 Kilo). An Army person made us afraid though he supplied us with medicine for our sick people. However I got to encourage and manage them.
Neglecting all fear and danger we started walking towards the destination on foot. We took a bamboo stick thatwas about 8 feet, special sponge sandal for each member, 2 Charger light and 4 hens for celebrating Bar-B-Q at night. At that time I remembered the man Bear Gryle of Discovery Chanel, who used to overcome his terrible journey. Meanwhile the sun was set and it was too dark. So you can imagine how terrible the journey was!
We were realizing the silence of night. Already we had been out of network. At the time of walking we saw some society of hill beside the road. We got sorbot of lemon several times middle of the road which made us energetic.
The adventure was not an end here. A tribe man named Siem arranged dinner for us. Menu was rice, potato bhorta, vegetable and Egg Fry etc. We had to pay Tk. 100 per head for this. Already our guide managed a cottage for staying over the night. We became astonished when saw the cottage ready for us. It was very close to the “Bogalake”. That was made with bamboo materials. There was only one room partitioned into two halves without any door and bed. There were 8 pillows in a row at a side of each half of the room. One side is for male and another is for female.
Being disappointed at the condition of the cottage we started Bar-B-Q party. It was a full moon night that gave us immense pleasure and delight. We became fascinated watching the beauty of “Bogalake” at night. We enjoyed the party very much. We all started to sing;
“Nishi Rat Baka Chad Akashe
Chupi Chupi Bashi Baje Batashe”
Jahan Ara Begum is seen at Bogalake.
After finishing Bar-B-Q party we went to the cottage for sleep with lots of fear in the mind. The time was 1.30 am then. We all went to sleep. My daughterheld me round very tightly. After an hour other team members were asleep and the night became very silent slowly. Though I was a little bit more courageous I could not but become very nervous that night. There were singing titmouse, bat criket and different insects and animals. Every sound seems to me that it was trying to call and talk with us and sometimes it was very closer. Sometimes I thought that our cottage was going under water. Actually all were happening in my imagination. The whole night I was waiting for the sun to appear with its glazing light to remove the darkness and fear from our mind. Sometime I looked at the watch but it seemed completely stopped. Anybody will realize how long a night could be if he pass a night at “Bogalake”. The whole night I could not sleep.
At last we found sunlight at 6 am. All the members of our team woke up. I didn’t share this with other members. In the early morning we tried to close to the lake. The water of “Bogalake” was crystal clear. Lots of fishes were swimming in the lake. I triedvery carefully to touch water with fear in mindlest someone would drag me into water. Passing an hour there, we reached to cottage and finished our breakfast.
As the Bogalake experience was over, we decided to come back home early. We started our journey on foot. In the middle of the path in the hills, suddenly I did not see nobody of our team except my daughter. I began to shiver as I lost them. Eventually some tribe people came forward to help me to find out them. They gave shelter and water.
Then we reached the junction and saw that our jeep waiting for us.
As we were out of mobile network, my family member failed to contact us and begin to think that we were kidnapped by tribe and killed.
Thus we returned home and got relieved at last. My request for the visitors who want to visit “Bogalake”, please think twice, then get prepared mentally and physically before going there.
