Ashurar Beel
OVERVIEW
Birampur in Dinajpur district and Ashura in Nawabganj are an immense gift of nature, a land of beauty. The total area of the bill is more than 857 acres, of which about 590 acres fall in Nawabganj upazila, the rest in Birampur upazila.
Birampur in Dinajpur district and Ashura in Nawabganj are an immense gift of nature, a land of beauty. The total area of the bill is more than 857 acres, of which about 590 acres fall in Nawabganj upazila, the rest in Birampur upazila. There are many myths about Ashura Bill surrounded by natural beauty. One of the stories told is that in ancient times, a struggle for supremacy began between the gods and the demons. The Asuras were defeated in that fight. The holes left by the feet of the Asuras were filled with the blood that had flowed from the bodies of the Asuras when struck by the daggers of the gods. From the story of the Asuras, it gradually became known as Ashura's Bill through word of mouth.
Built around the lap of Shalban, the natural beauty of Ashura Bill has become more enchanting. The Shalban was declared a national park in 2010 by the government, locally known as Sheikh Russell National Park, with the aim of conserving flora, fauna and nature and developing tourism facilities. Earlier it was only a shrub but now there are 20-30 species of trees. And Bill Ashura, the largest in North Bengal with a length of 5 km, has a variety of native species of fish. The bill of Ashura is called with the magical appeal of different species of birds in the ceremony of Shapla and lotus flowers. The traditional bill once became one of the tourist attractions of the northern region. But the bill soon lost its heritage due to illegal encroachments. This reservoir of immense potential became hostage to some local influential people. They divide them into hundreds of parts with bamboo fences and lofts. Due to the use of pesticides in paddy cultivation in winter, many native species of fish are disappearing. Ashura takes a dilapidated form with drinking and various types of garbage. Due to the lack of proper planning and proper maintenance, a group of vested interests started using the bill as agricultural land and its water started to decrease alarmingly. As most of the bill is filled, its beauty is lost. But legally there is no opportunity to change the land class of the bill.
Instead of sitting quietly for a long time, the local upazila administration, with the help of several public representatives, took various initiatives to bring back the lost enthusiasm of the Ashura Bill by taking possession of this spectacular place which has been in illegal possession for a long time. A cross drum was constructed funded by Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation to retain water in the eastern part of the bill to restore its former beauty. As a result the water rises in the bill and the lotus and lotus bloom as if in competition. Various species of fish including red khalshe, kakila, dhedhal are increasing. After two long decades, thousands of migratory birds such as mallards, mallards, snails, hawksbills, white manikjors, rangamudis and other species flocked to Ashura again to find their winter abode. The country's largest crooked wooden bridge was built to connect the bill and the forest. The English Z-shaped bridge with the wood and bill woven together is named 'Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Wooden Bridge'. Ashura's Bill and Sheikh Russell National Park has become one of the destinations for travel enthusiasts. Realizing the socio-economic and natural importance of the area based on the Ashura Bill, the local administration undertakes various developmental activities.