Bhasani Novo Theatre of Dhaka

Bhasani Novo Theatre, located near Bijoy Sarani of Dhaka is the country’s only planetarium to present a celestial show of stars, planets and other heavenly objects of in virtual reality. This dome-shaped theatre with latest technological equipment enables visitors to soar into the space as well as experience the thrills of an inter-planetary journey in a three dimensional environment.
Bhasani Novo Theatre, constructed on 22.96 thousand square metres of land at a cost Tk 123 crore, was inaugurated on September 25, 2004. The project was taken up in May, 1997. The Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology established the theatre as a non-formal science education centre to inculcate positive scientific temperament in the minds of people, especially among the students. The unique architecture of Novo Theatre with light blue metallic dome easily draws attention of the passers-by.
The imposing structure of the planetarium stands on 14 free height Roman columns, seven on each side, at the entrance. The images of the columns are reflected on the three fountains in front of the planetarium. A four-storey administrative block is located at the back of the theatre.
The prime objective of the project is to attract the youths, particularly the students, to planetary studies. Computer fairs, space fairs, Internet fairs, seminars, meetings, scientific workshops etc. are being organised here regularly since its inception. These events of Bhasani Novo Theatre  are helping build up an educated and science-oriented nation. Inside the Planetarium a very exciting Ride Simulator, model of the planets of Solar System, scientific exhibits and portraits of world-renowned scientists and scholars can be seen.
Bhasani Novo Theatre of Dhaka also contains audio-video units, a 150-seated auditorium, an excellent conference room, hydraulic lifts and ramp for celestial shows.
A large number of advanced technological instruments have been procured from Japan, US, Korea and India for the planetarium. The prime activities of this Theatre are arranging three-dimensional shows at its dome-shaped 275-seat auditorium. Every day it arranges four shows. On Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays show times are 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm while in Friday’s show times are at 10am, 3pm, 5pm and 7pm. Bhasani Novo Theatre remains closed on Wednesday and also on other government holidays.
Each show of Novo Theatre contains two parts. One is Planetarium Show and the other is Large Format Film Show. First one is named “The Journey to Infinity.” It shows stars, planets, galaxies and so on. Contents of the other one, large format film show, is changed once every year. From September 2007 `The LivingSea’ is showing regularly. The previous large format films shown here were `Africa the Serengeti,’ `The Grand Canyon’ and `Whales,’ said Zillur Rahman, Public Relation Officer of Novo Theatre.
The second part of the show proves to be a bit of an anti-climax, as instead of being
showing anything related to space, a documentary of the kind that one gets to see on
National Geographic channel is shown. Nevertheless, the first part of the show is so lively and realistic that you’ll forgive the second part.
The price of an entry ticket is Taka 50.00. Tickets are sold from Bhasani Novo Theatre  counters located at the entry gate. Sale of tickets starts usually before two hours of each show and one person standing in a queue can collect one ticket only at a time on first come first served basis. There is also the arrangement of advance ticket booking for students and institutions.
Children aged less than two years are discouraged to watch planetarium show. Food, beverage, bags, cameras are not allowed inside the Novo Theatre. Taking photographs, using mobile phones or switching on any light inside the auditorium is strictly prohibited. Visitors are not allowed to enter into the dome after the start the show.
Usually the shows of 5pm and 7pm of Friday tend to be very popular with most people as the day being a holiday. So if you want to watch the shows on Fridays then you will have to reach the venue at least an hour before the show starts, or else you might not get tickets

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100 Heritages site in Dhaka

Heritages site in Dhaka given its historical, aesthetic, scientific, social and cultural, religious and political significance even if it is not 100-years-old.
Buildings to be included in the gazette notification in old Dhaka are: Binat Bibi Mosque, Bara Katra, Chhoto Katra, Lalbag Fort Complex, Nimtoli Dewri, Kartalab Khan Mosque, Khan Muhammad Mirdha Mosque, Shaista Khan Mosque, Gol Talab (pond), Buckland Bundh, Christian Cemetery, Hosaini Dalan, Dhakeshwari Temple, Joykali Temple and Ram Sita Temple, Armenian Church, Bara Dayra Sharif, Star Mosque, Bangshal Jame Mosque, North Brooke Hall, Kasaituli Mosque, St. Thomas Church, St. Gregory’s Church, Radha Govinda Temple at Mill Barrack, Shashan Temple at Banianagar, Radha Govinda Temple (Sutrapur),
Ram Sita Temple (Amligola), Tomb of Daroga Amiruddin, Gouri Moth, Ramkrishna Mission, Nawab Bari Mosque (close to Rajuk Bhaban), Bahadur Shah Park, Water Tank (at Bahadur Shah park), Laxmi Narayan Mandir, Shusila Kuthir, Brahmosamaj Temple, Raja Ram Mohan Library, Ruplal House, Ahsan Manjil, Mitford Hospital (old three buildings), Weiz House (Weisghat), Rose Garden,
Shankhanidi Palace, Iskon Mandir, St Gregory’s School, Pogose School, Manuk House (Bangha Bhaban), Balda Garden, Jagannath University Admin Building, Buildings at plots 7-9 (Koilash Ghosh Lane), building no-28 (Utsob Poddar Lane), buildings no. 8, 8/1, 8/2 (Jhulan Bari Lane), Dhaka Medical College (Arts Building, Hospital Building, Gate Houses),
Dhaka University campus: Vice Chancellor’s Residence, Madhur Canteen, Twin Hindu Math (TSC), Curzon Hall, FH Hall, SM Hall at DU, Jagannath Hall, Mir Jumla Gate (Dhaka Gate, Doel Chottar), Shikh Guru Duara, Greek Memorial, Burdwan House (Bangla Academy), Faculty of Fine Arts (Art College), University Central Library and Kendrio Shahid Minar.
Other structures: Mughal Eidgah (Dhanmondi), Satgambuj Mosque(Mohammadpur), Unknown Tomb at Banshbari (Mohammadpur), Shahbaz Khan Mosque and Tomb (Old High Court Area), Holy Rozario Church (Tejgaon), Dewanbari Complex and Mosque (Aminbazar), Ambar Shah Mosque (Karwan Bazar), Bhuiyan Bari Mosque (Beraid), Kalibari (Siddheswari), Archbishop House and Church (Kakrail), Race Course Gallery (Suhrawardy Udyan), Old High Court Building, Chummery House (Topkhana Road),
Govt Employees Hospital (Fulbari), Rashid Bhaban (BUET), Foreign Ministry (Segunbagicha), Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban and Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Complex, NAEM (Education Extension Centre, Dhanmondi), Kamalapur Railway Station, residence no- 301-B (Road 24, Dhanmondi), Shahid Buddijibi Smrithisoudha (Mirpur), Rayer Bazar Badya Bhumi Smriti Soudha, Bangabandhu Museum (Dhanmondi), Rajuk Bhaban, Nagar Bhaban (DCC).
Roads, lanes, and open spaces are: Hrishi Kesh Das Road, Rebati Mohan Das Road, BK Das Road, Farashganj Road in Farashganj, Shakhari Bazar and Panitola in Shakharibazar, Pyari Das Road and Hemenda Das Road in Sutrapur, Baily Road, Minto Road, Hare Road and Park Avenue in Ramna.

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Lalbagh Fort

Lalbagh Fort or Fort Aurangabad, is an incomplete Mughal palace fortress at Dhaka on the river Buriganga in the southwestern part of the old city. The river has now gone further south and flows at quite a distance from the fort. Though in eighteenth century more than half of this east-west oblong fortress touched the water of the river on its south and southwestern sides.
The construction of the fort was commenced in 1678 AD by prince Muhammad Azam during his 15 month long vice-royalty of Bengal, but before he could complete the work, he was recalled by Aurangzeb. His successor, Shaista Khan did not continue the work, though he stayed in Dhaka up to 1688. His daughter Bibi Pari (Lady Fairy) died here in 1684 and this led him to consider the fort to be ominous.
The fort was considered to be a combination of three buildings (the mosque, the tomb of Bibi Pari and the Diwan-i-Aam), two gateways and a portion of the partly damaged fortification wall. In the present fort area of 18 acres, excavations have revealed remains of 26/ 27 structures with elaborate arrangements for water supply, sewerage, roof gardens, and fountains. Renovation work by the Archaeology Department has now put Lalbagh Fort in a much-improved shape and has now become an interesting spot for tourists and visitors. Of the three surviving gateways, the southern one is the most imposing. Seen from the front it is a three storeyed structure with a fronton, bordered with slender minarets. From inside it gives the impression of a two storeyed structure. The gateway on the northeast is a much smaller and simpler structure.
The southern fortification wall, runs westward from the South Gateway, went up to the huge bastion in the southwestern corner of the fort. The fortification ran northward and then it is lost. On the northern side of the southern fortification were placed utility buildings, such as the stable, the administrative block, and its western part accommodated a beautiful roof-garden with arrangements for fountains and a water reservoir. The residential part was located on the eastern side of the western fortification, mainly to the south-west of the mosque, where the remains of a sewerage line have been found. The southern fortification is a twin wall, the outer one is about 6.10m high and 1.37m thick, while the inner one is 13.72m high with same thickness. The two are solid up to the height of 6.10m and there are regular openings in the upper part of the inner wall.
The fortification wall on the south had 5 bastions at regular intervals and the western wall had 2 bastions. Among the 7 bastions the biggest one is near the main southern gate at the back of the stable, which occupies the area to the west of the gateway. The bastion had an underground tunnel. Among the five bastions of the southern fortification the central one was single storeyed, the rest are double storeyed structures. The central one contains an underground room with veranda on three sides, and it can be approached either from the riverside or from its roof. The double-storeyed bastion at the southwestern corner of the fort was possibly a Hawakhana, with a water reservoir on its roof. Two lines of terracotta pipes have been found, which connected all establishments of the fort with this reservoir. Extra-strong terracotta pipelines made with double pipes, one inside the other, have been uncovered in the area between the Hammam and the tomb of Bibi Pari.
The central area of the fort there are the Diwan-i-Aam and the Hammam on its east, the mosque on the west and the tomb of Bibi Pari in between the two – in one line. A water channel with fountains at regular interval connect the three buildings from east to west and two similar channels run from south to north, one through the middle of the ground in between the Diwan-i-Aam and the tomb forming a square tank with fountains at the intersection with the east-west channel, and the other from the water reservoir passing through the bottom of the tomb. The water channels and the fountains, a very common feature of Mughal architecture, set an atmosphere not very unlike north Indian Mughal forts. A big square water tank, placed in front of the Diwan-i-Aam and in between the southern and northern gateways, adds to the beauty of the building. There are four corner stairs to descent into the tank.
The double storeyed Diwan-i-Aam attached with a single storeyed Hammam on its west is an imposing building. The Hmmam complex includes an open platform, a small kitchen, an oven, water storage area, a masonry brick bath-tub, a toilet, a dressing room and an extra room. The Hammam portion has an underground room for boiling water and a passage for sweepers. A long partition wall runs north-south along the western facade of the Hammam dividing the whole fort area into two divisions.
The building in the middle, the tomb of Bibi Pari, is the most impressive of the surviving buildings of the fort. Eight rooms surround a central square room, containing the mortal remains of Bibi Pari, which is covered by a false dome, octagonal in shape, and wrapped by brass plate. The entire inner wall of the central room was covered with white marble, while the four side central rooms had stone skirting up to a height of one metre. The wall in the four corner rooms was skirted with beautiful glazed floral tiles. The tiles have recently been restored; two of the original tiles have been retained. The southeastern corner room contains a small grave, popularly known to be of Shamsad Begum, possibly a relative of Bibi Pari. The Lalbagh Fort Mosque is a three-domed mosque with a water tank in front (on the eastern side) for ablution.

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St. Martins – Beautiful Coral Islam of the Country

St. Martins Island is the most beautiful Coral Island where you will find live corals. Its only 30 km from Teknaf and you can go there by local motorboat, tourist boats, or sea truck. This small coral island about 10km (6mi) southwest of the southern tip of the mainland is a tropical clich with beaches fringed with coconut palms and bountiful marine life. There?s nothing more strenuous to do here than soak up the rays, but it?s a clean and peaceful place without even a mosquito to disrupt your serenity. It?s possible to walk around the island in a day because it measures only 8 sq km (3 sq mi), shrinking to about 5 sq km (2 sq mi) during high tide. Most of island’s 5500 inhabitants live primarily from fishing, and between October and April fisher people from neighboring areas bring their catch to the island?s temporary wholesale market. In this Island, you will find the beautiful Coral reef and long Coral beach and lots of coconut trees.



The local name of the coconut is Narikel and the original name of this Island is Narikel Jinjira is derived from that. Accommodation in St. Martins Island is limited, so it is advisable to book accommodation before you plan to go to this Island. Motel Nijhum is one of the best hotels in St. Martins Island. To book in Motel Nijhum, confirm you reservation from Dhaka. You will hardly get a chance to stay in this hotel if you are a sudden visitor of St. Martins Island. The other good hotels are Prashad Paradise & Sraboni Bilash.Booking of these hotels are also possible from Dhaka. All these three hotels are situated adjacent to Seashore. From these hotels lobby or veranda, you can enjoy the Sea. There are some other motels and hotels established in St. Martins Island. Overnight staying in St. Martins Island is really an exotic feeling where you will feel and listen the sound of Sea. If you are lucky enough then you can spend the exotic moonlit night at St. Martins Island.



The beauty of Full moon in St. Martins Island cannot be expressed, if you are not there at that time. Cheera-dwip is a part of St. Martins Island but divided during tides. You can go to Cheera-dwip by walking. About two and a half hours walk from St. Martins Island or you can go there also by local motorboat or tourist boat. In that Island you will find the Corals – living and dead all over the Island. A small bush is there which in the only green part of Cheera-dwip.

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Shat gumbuj Mosque – Shait Gumbad

Shait Gumbad Mosque is the largest of the Sultanate mosques in Bangladesh and one of the most impressive Muslim monuments in the whole of the Indian subcontinent. It is ascribed to one Khan al-Azam Ulugh Khan Jahan, who conquered the greater part of southern Bengal and named the area khalifatabad in honour of the reigning Sultan nasiruddin mahmud shah (1435-59). khan jahan ruled the region with the seat of administration at Haveli-Khalifatabad, identified with present Bagerhat, till his death in 1459.
Such a magnificent building turned into miserably decaying condition with the passage of time. It is however fortunate that the British government initiated measures for its restoration and repair and the process continued under the direct supervision of the successive Departments of Archaeology of Pakistan and Bangladesh. In the early 1980s an effective long-term programme was undertaken to safeguard this historical monument at the instance of UNESCO, and the work is nearing completion.
The most attractive part of the mosque is its large central nave, running east to west in a longitudinal line. This nave, consisting of seven independent oblong bays about 4.88m by 3.96m each, divides the interior of the mosque into two equal wings and opens out to north and south by pointed archways. The side wings are divided into square bays, numbering seventy in total. The square bays of the side wings, each measuring 3.96m on each side, are covered with inverted cup-shaped domes, while the oblong bays of the central nave are roofed over with chau-chala vaults. These vaults and cup-shaped domes are carried on intersecting arches springing from the pillars, and the corners between the arches are filled with characteristic Bengali pendentives. The building thus exhibits eighty-one domes in total – four on the corner towers, seventy over the side wings and seven chau-chala vaults over the central nave.
The north and south walls are internally marked with decorative cusped niches, twelve in each wall. Each of these niches is topped by a couple of mouldings. While these mouldings show rosettes alternating with diaper motifs, the space in between is ornamented with floral scrolls in terracotta.
An important feature of the mosque, though unusual in Bengal but noticed in many congregational mosques in northern India, is a small doorway in the back wall beside the central mihrab, the idea of which might have originally been borrowed from those of early mosques in Islam. In early Islam the postern opening of the mosque is known to have been used exclusively by the caliphs, governors or Imams. It is therefore not unlikely that the western doorway of the Shatgumbad Mosque was reserved for Khan Jahan, the governor of Khalifatabad, who had his residence a few yards away to the north of the mosque.
Of the two brick platforms, already cited, the one near the central mihrab was perhaps used by Khan Jahan while transacting administrative business, and the other near an eastern doorway was perhaps meant for a religious teacher, who sat on it and expounded Islamic teachings to the people or students.

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Kaptai Lake

Famous Kaptai Lake, the largest “man-made” lake, spreading over 680 sq. km. of crystal-clean water flanked by hills and evergreen forests lies in the Rangmati Hill District. The lake was formed when the Karnaphuli river dam (153 feet high, 1800 feet long crest) was built for the purpose of hydroelectric power project at Kaptai.
The old Rangmati town was submerged under lake water and a new town had to be built later. The lake is full of fish and provides facilities for cruising.

Geologically, the lower part of Kaptai Lake, in and around the Kaptai-Rangamati region (ie Kaptai Syncline), is composed mainly of yellowish brown, fine to medium grained, massive to cross-bedded sandstone with alternating shale and silty shale (Tipam Sandstone Formation) and the upper part is featured by yellowish brown, fine to medium grained, subangular to sub-rounded, moderately to poorly sorted, massive to thick-bedded and occasionally cross-bedded sandstone with quartz granules, pebbles, clay galls and contains well preserved leaf impressions (Dupi Tila Formation).
However, around Shubalong and Barkal, the lake mainly comprises Bhuban formation. As the local people remove the protective vegetation around the lake, these rocks are exposed to the monsoon rains and thus eroded easily. This results in landslides, and the loose rock material is washed down the slopes and carried by rivers into the lake. As a result, the lake is silting up rapidly. By the early 1990s, in its 30-year existence, it had already lost about 25% of its volume due to siltation.
Apart from generation of hydroelectricity, the lake has become an important resource for some other considerations. It has created a diversified and long waterway. Many places that used to take a day or even more to reach have now become an hour’s trip by speedboat or launch. It has become much easier to exploit forest resources that had earlier been inaccessible.
The whole lake is now a great tourist attraction. The lake’s contribution to the development of agriculture and fishery is significant. Since the water level of the lake is maintained at different heights in different months of the year, the lakeshores are under an automatic irrigation system and are very fertile. People practice controlled farming in about 6,075 ha of land on leasehold basis through agreements with the local government.

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Sagar Kannya Kuakata

Kuakata, locally known as Sagar Kannya (Daughter of the Sea) is a rare scenic beauty spot on the southernmost tip of Bangladesh. Kuakata in Latachapli union under Kalapara Police Station of Patuakhali district is about 30 km in length and 6 km in breadth.

It is 70 km from Patuakhali district headquarters and 320 km from Dhaka.At Kuakata excellent combination of the picturesque natural beauty, sandy beach, blue sky, huge expanse of water of the Bay and evergreen forest in really eye-catching. From its seashore you can watch both sunrise and sunset. The coconut trees increase the scenic beauty of this seashore.The main tourist season is in winter but all over the year tourists visit this place.
In Kuaka you can visit the life style of tribe Rakhains, who are very friendly to the tourist and visitors.You can visit Buddhist Temple where you can see the statue of Goutom Buddha and two wells of 200 years old. Local name of the well is Kua and Kata is a local name of digging a well; so was the name Kuakata. Fisherman village is another place where you can visit and watch the lifestyle of the Fisherman. If you are adventurous you may also go for fishing on the fishing boat if you can manage the local fishermen. That will give you pleasure and experience, which you won?t be able to gather from anywhere else.
In the fishermen village you will find the fishermen coming back from the fishing and you can purchase some fresh Hilsha fish from them, and by the side of village there are some local restaurants from where you can get the Hilshas cooked and ready for eating.
You will remember the wonderful taste of the fresh Hilshas of Kuakata for a long time. From Kuakata you can visit to a part of the great Sundarban forest, which is called Gangamoti Reserve Forest. Don?t forget to visit Fatra?s Chor another tourist place nearby Kuakata. Kuakata is one of the rarest places, which has the unique beauty of offering the full view of the rising and setting of crimson sun in the water of the Bay of Bengal in a calm environment. That perhaps makes Kuakata one of the world’s unique beaches.
The long and wide beach at Kuakata has a typical natural setting. This sandy beach has gentle slopes into the Bay of Bengal and bathing there is as pleasant as is walking or diving.Kuakata is truly a virgin beach-a sanctuary for migratory winter birds, a series of coconut trees, sandy beach of blue Bay, a feast for the eye. Forest, boats plying in the Bay of Bengal with colorful sails, fishing, towering cliffs, surfing waves everything here touches every visitor’s heart.
The unique customs and costumes of the ‘Rakhyne’ tribal families and Buddhist Temple of about hundred years old indicate the ancient tradition and cultural heritage, which are objects of great pleasure Kuakata is the place of pilgrimage of the Hindus and Buddhist communities. Innumerable devotees arrive here at the festival of ‘Rush Purnima’ and ‘Maghi Purnima’. On these two days they take holy bath and traditional fairs are held here. All these additional offers to panoramic beauty make the beach more attractive to the visitors. One should visit Kuakata and discover the lovely grace of Bangladesh

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