A day trip to Chandpur

It was a foggy, cold day from winter and we have decided to visit the Chandpur district using launch (using the waterway as we are under blockade in Bangladesh). We have started our journey using a small (probably the smallest from this route) launch named Meghna Rani. It supposes to start at 8:00am at the morning, but started at 8:15am at morning.

We didn’t go for any cabin, or any chair from there. We were using the lowest possible option from the launch. So we have gone to the roof of the launch and found few empty chairs on there. We didn’t have any breakfast today. So had a low quality breakfast from the launch. It was bread and egg (the thinnest egg omelet I have ever seen). But something is better than nothing.

It is the roof of the launch. Kind of fancy.

It usually takes 3.5 hours to 4.0 hours to reach at Chandpur from Dhaka. We have reached there within 11:45am, which means around 3.5 hours. During our journey we have observed few small fishing boats around us. It uses to be lot more on regular days. Probably due to winter the boat counts were few. Apart from the boats, it was also a great scene to watch the rivers like Dhaleswari, Shitalakkha, Brahmaputra, Meghna, etc are joining one by one with the course of the launch.

The black polluted water from Buriganga River.

Our initial plan was to stay at Chandpur town until the sunset. But we had to change our plan as the last available launch from Chandpur town was at 2:40pm, and after that next one at 9:30pm at night. We didn’t want to stay for so long, and also didn’t want to make a nightlong journey. So decided to return back before 2:40pm. Which means we had only 2.5 hours in our hand.

It’s not the Moon, rather its the Sun under the fog.

So we have reserved a CNG driven auto rickshaw and started for the Lohagor Moth, an old temple. That took us almost near to the temple. The road was having a development work and we had to walk for a while. It proved eventually good for us. It gave us the opportunity to explore from the around. During this walking we have observed the paddy plantation by the village farmers. Found a flock of Chestnut tailed starling around the date plant. They were sipping the nectar that was oozing out from the tree.

Sun behind the fog and cloud.

We have gone near to the temple using the longest path (through the puccaa road). But while returning, we have used a narrow walking path that was beside the river, and some portion was through the property of villagers (house sort of things). Basically we were running out of time. We were having a vie with the time. And we have succeeded once again, grabbed the auto rickshaw, and returned back to the launch terminal by 2:30pm. Which means 10 minutes before the targeted time.

Muktarpur bridge at Munshiganj observed from the launch (or ferry).

This time the launch was much bigger and better than previous one. Its name was Shonar Tori. We were hungry, and finished our lunch before moving to the roof (the lowest priced option for us). The lunch menu was Nola fish with rice and cost 140 Taka per person. The food quality wasn’t that much extraordinary, but wasn’t bad either.

Going to school?

Once again we have observed the beauty of around from the launch’s roof. It was still a cloudy day (for fog), and I was feeling cold from the wind that was coming from the river. It was too much chilling but I was enjoying that. At the end of the day I expected to view the sunset. But it wasn’t a clear sunset today.

Didn’t see before this kind of fishing technique.

We have reached at the Sadarghat at 6:20pm of the evening. It was like a crash tour for us. Everything happened quickly, and also we have returned into the Dhaka within the day. That actually made me feel like nothing happened!

Didn’t see before this kind of fishing technique.

How to Go:

The journey to Chandpur is really relaxing and it’s very near from the Dhaka. Only takes around 4 hours to reach there. No traffic jam, so the required time is fixed. There are several launches use to go from Dhaka. First one starts at the morning 7:00am. After that several launches use to start having an hour interval (most of the cases). I didn’t use any cabin or chair. I have paid 100 Taka for the standing ticket. But you can go for the cabin, or chair. A cabin is usually 500-800 Taka based on the quality. And for chair, it is 180-255 Taka per person.