New Safari Park planned at remote Lathitila forest in Moulvibazar

A new safari park will be established in the Lathitila forest area in Juriupazila of Moulvibazar. The forest department has taken up the venture for the 3rd safari park after their old ones at DulaHajra in Cox's Bazar and Bangabandhu Safari Park inGazipur.

Already, the forest department has conducted a feasibility study through a consulting firm on the project.It will be named as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Safari Park, an official informed.

The site selection at remote Lathitila is a justified venture compared to other locations, the study noted. Besides, it would help save the forestlands from illegal occupants. The locals also welcomed the decision, a senior official said.

Establishing the park will help protect the bio-diversity and improve the environment. It would also be a unique site for tourists from various regions, the official added. The park would have a good number of rare animals from home and abroad, he also said.

Lathitila is located at 60km to north-east of Moulvibazar district town, 20 km to the south of Madhabkunda waterfall and 50 km north to the LawachharaNaional Park, officials informed. There are 209 species of animals and 603 species of plants on the Lathitila forest site.

As many as 58 families out of over 200 living in the area would be shifted and rehabilitated to a different location, while the others would remain in their houses in the park area as well, an official informed.

Now works are on to prepare a Development Project Profile (DPP) and a master plan for the much-desired project.

Implementation of the project, however, would take some time for various reasons, the Project Director said.

[email protected]