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Hakaluki Haor: Bangladesh's Largest Wetland

Explore Hakaluki Haor, Bangladesh's largest wetland: a paradise for birdwatching, nature lovers, and cultural experiences in a biodiverse ecosystem.

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Hakaluki Haor, a vast marsh wetland ecosystem in northeastern Bangladesh, is one of Asia's largest. It's a haven for biodiversity, supporting a wide array of plant and animal life, especially migratory birds, and offers stunning natural beauty that transforms with the seasons.

A brief summary to Hakaluki Haor

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Local tips

  • Visit during the winter months (November to February) for the best birdwatching opportunities as migratory birds flock to the area.
  • Hire a local guide to enhance your understanding of the ecosystem and its diverse flora and fauna.
  • Bring binoculars and a camera to fully appreciate and capture the vibrant wildlife and scenic beauty.
  • Respect local customs and engage with the community to learn about their traditional way of life.
  • Wear comfortable clothing and shoes suitable for exploring wetland environments.
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Getting There

  • Public Transport

    From Sylhet city, take a bus or CNG auto-rickshaw to Moulvibazar town. Buses are available from Sylhet's main bus terminal. The journey takes approximately 1-1.5 hours, and the bus fare is around 80-120 BDT. From Moulvibazar, hire a CNG auto-rickshaw to Hakaluki Haor, which is about 65 km away. This will take approximately 1.5-2 hours, and the fare will be around 800-1200 BDT.

  • Car

    From Sylhet, drive towards Moulvibazar via the Sylhet-Moulvibazar highway. Once in Moulvibazar town, follow local road signs towards Hakaluki Haor. The drive from Moulvibazar to Hakaluki Haor is approximately 65 km and takes around 1.5-2 hours. Parking is available near the haor's entrance, with hourly rates around 30-50 BDT. Note that road conditions can vary, especially during the monsoon season.

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Discover more about Hakaluki Haor

Hakaluki Haor, situated in the Sylhet division of northeastern Bangladesh, near the Assam border of India, is the country's largest and one of Asia's most significant wetland ecosystems. Spanning approximately 18,400 hectares, Hakaluki Haor encompasses parts of five upazilas (sub-districts) within the Sylhet and Moulvibazar districts and is fed by rivers including the Juri, Sonai and Kuiachara. This remarkable landscape features a complex of over 238 interconnected beels (small lakes), some perennial and others seasonal. During the dry season, the beels cover around 4,400 hectares, but with the arrival of the monsoon rains, the entire area floods, expanding to about 18,383 hectares and creating one vast lake for up to five months. This seasonal transformation makes Hakaluki Haor a dynamic and vital ecosystem. Hakaluki Haor is renowned for its rich biodiversity, providing sanctuary to a diverse range of flora and fauna. It supports over 558 species of animals and birds, including threatened, vulnerable, endangered, and critically endangered species. Birdwatchers flock here, especially in winter, to witness the gathering of migratory birds. The haor also sustains a wide variety of agricultural and horticultural crops, medicinal plants and diverse fish species. The area has been designated an Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) and a protected Ramsar site, underscoring its importance for conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. Approximately 190,000 people live in the surrounding area, their livelihoods closely intertwined with the haor's resources. Visitors can experience traditional fishing and farming practices, gaining insight into the local way of life.

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