Kaptai Lake
Visit Kaptai Lake, Rangamati: The Largest Artificial Lake in South Asia
Do you want to see the mountains and waterfalls? Or do you have the wish to float over blue water? The outdoor enthusiasts often fall into dilemmas to choose between these two desires. Kaptai Lake in Rangamati can save you from this situation. Here you will instantly mingle with the winding mountain roads, waterfalls, and the alliance of water-green. Let's go into details about this largest in volume artificial lake in South Asia with an area of up to 11,000 sq-km.
Historical background of Kaptai Lake
From 1956 to 1962, the then government of Pakistan constructed the Kaptai Dam on the Karnafuli River for a hydroelectric power plant with US funding. As a result, 54,000 acres of agricultural land in the Rangamati district was flooded and this Kaptai Lake was created.
In addition, 606 sq-km of unclassified forests and 75 sq-km of government-protected forests were drowned. A total of one lakh people from about 18,000 families were displaced.
The dam is 670.6 meters long and 54.7 meters high and has a 745 feet long spillway with 16 water gates attached to it. This spillway can discharge 5 lakh 25 thousand cusec feet of water per second.
The specialty of Kaptai Lake, Rangamati
The tourism industry of the Rangamati district has developed around Kaptai Lake. There is a famous 335-feet long hanging bridge over this lake. You have to buy a ticket for BDT 30 for getting on the bridge. The entire lake is surrounded by high and low hills and creepy winding paths. With this fear in mind, when you see the clouds surrounding the mountains are playing as a reflection in a huge pond, your travel-thirsty mind will want to stay there like a bird or an aquatic duck.
Read: Visit Kaptai Lake for a breather
The lake can be traveled by renting a trawler. On the way, you can enjoy the angelic beauty of the Shuvlong waterfall, coming down from a hill about 140 feet high. Besides these, a Buddhist temple and the new Chakma palace stand on the shores of the lake. The old Chakma palace sank into the lake during the construction of the Kaptai Dam.
Here mother nature presents a wonderful combination of various flora and fauna in the overhead mountains as well as diverse species of fish and endless biodiversity living inside the deep waters of the lake. The livelihood of the water-centered people, the environment around the lake including the variety of birds, the hanging bridge, the small islands, etc will fascinate you every moment. Despite being an artificial lake, nature has poured all its beauty into Kaptai Lake.
When to visit Kaptai Lake in Rangamati
You can have a journey to Kaptai Lake all year round. But in the rainy season, the beauty of waterfalls along the lake is at its peak.
A bridge that’s going to connect the dreams of Rangamati islanders to reality
The residents of Jugolika Hill and Puratanbasti, two separate islands in Rangamati district, have been suffering for five decades as there is no bridge over the Kaptai Lake.
But their long wait is going to end soon as the government is constructing a concrete bridge over the lake to ensure smooth communications with the two islands and other parts of the hill district.
The much-sought bridge is going to be opened to traffic in 2022.
Over 3,000 residents of the two islands at Reserve Bazar in Rangamati district have been using boats as their main mode of transportation in the Kaptai Lake as the local authorities were reluctant to take any initiative to construct a much-needed bridge.
Read: Mymensingh to get a modern bridge over Brahmaputra
But now the government is constructing a Y-shaped splendid concrete bridge spending Tk 17.5 crore which will not only connect the residents of the two islands but also add beauty to the popular tourist spot in the hill district.
All the preparations have been taken to inaugurate the bridge in June next, said officials.
They said the bridge is going to be a new attraction for tourists for its spectacular ‘Y’ shape.
According to them, the people of the area were rehabilitated in Jugolika Hill and Puratan Basti islands during the construction of the Kaptai Lake in 1960 without building any bridge for their smooth communication.
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Bridges are immensely important as they facilitate the movement of people, enabling them to take their goods to local markets and send their kids to schools through safe crossing.
Following the demand of the residents of the two islands, Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Minister Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing submitted a proposal to the authorities concerned for building a concrete bridge.
On February 13, 2013, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone of the bridge, now a visible reality.
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Fishing ban in Kaptai Lake to continue till Aug 31
The local administration has extended the ongoing ban on fishing in Kaptai Lake till August 31.
Commander of the Bangladesh Navy and marketing manager of the Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC), Touhidul Islam, said that the ban on netting, marketing and transportation of fish from Kaptai Lake has been extended by 10 days.
READ: Patuakhali: 18 held for violating fishing ban
Earlier, the BFDC had extended the ban on fishing twice. The latest decision has been taken to increase the safe breading of fish and water level in the lake, said Touhidul.
According to the new decision, fishermen can catch fish from September 1.
On April 26, the local administration imposed a three-month ban on netting, marketing and transportation of fish from Kaptai Lake with effect from May 1.
READ: 22-day Hilsa fishing ban: 5,533 jailed, Tk243 crore net seized
The ban was imposed to ensure natural breeding of carp fish. The ban was subsequently extended.
Every year, the government imposes a three-month ban on fishing, marketing and transportation of fish from Kaptai Lake aiming to ensure the natural breeding of fish.
Fishing in Kaptai Lake prohibited for 3 months
The local administration has imposed a three-month ban on netting, marketing and transportation of fish from Kaptai Lake from May 1.
The decision was taken on Monday (April 26, 2021) at the office of Deputy Commissioner to help breeding and rejuvenate fish stocks in the freshwater lake.
Rangamati Deputy Commissioner Mizanur Rahman presided over the meeting while BFDC Manager Touhidul Islam, additional deputy commissioner Shilpi Rani Roy, District Fisheries Officer Sribash Chandra, among others, were present at the meeting.
Also read: 30-ton fish fry to be released in Kaptai Lake: BFDC
The ban was imposed to ensure natural breeding of carp fish, said Mizanur Rahman.
Some 22,250 people who depend on fishing in the district will get food assistance during the ban period through a special VGF Card.
Every year, the government imposes a three-month ban on fishing, marketing and transportation of fish from Kaptai Lake aiming to ensure natural breeding of fish.
River police will be deployed to check illegal fishing, marketing and transportation through mobile court.
Also read: Fishing resumes in Kaptai Lake after 90-day ban
The Deputy Commissioner also urged all to refrain from fishing as legal action will be taken in case of violation of the order.
2 children drown in Kaptai Lake in Rangamati
Two children drowned in the Kaptai Lake at Bijoynagar area in the district town on Tuesday.
Fishing resumes in Kaptai Lake after 90-day ban
Fishing in Kaptai Lake resumed on Tuesday at the end of a three-month ban imposed by the local administration to boost fish production.
30-ton fish fry to be released in Kaptai Lake: BFDC
About 30 tonnes of carp variety of fish fry will be released in different parts of Kaptai Lake during this year’s three-month fishing ban.
Officials of Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC) Rangamati office came up with the information at fish fry release inauguration programme in the lake on Sunday.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) AKM Mamunur Rashid inaugurated the programme from BFDC’s Fishery Ghat in the district.
Among others, BFDC Manager Commander Mohammad Touhidul Islam, sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Fatematuzzohra Upoma and other senior officials were present at the programme.
VGF rice distribution programme was also inaugurated among 22,000 fishermen who are dependent on Kaptai Lake.
The nets seized during illegal fishing in Kaptai Lake were also burnt down.
BFDC issued a three-month ban on fishing in the Kaptai Lake which came into effect from May 1 to ensure boosting fish population.
The DC said Kaptai Lake’s fish is a valuable resource for the country. Fish production in Kaptai Lake should be increased for the development of the national economy.
“This requires the concerted efforts of all. All must work together to increase fish production. To ensure the natural reproduction of fish, everyone must strictly follow the instructions to stop fishing this season. Then we will be able to reach the target of fish production,” he added.
Kaptai boat capsize: Bodies of mother, son retrieved after 5 days
Members of Bangladesh Navy and Fire Service on Tuesday morning retrieved the bodies of a woman and her son from the Sarafvata river in Rangunia upazila in Chattogram five days after a boat sank in the Karnaphuli River in Chandraghona area here in Kaptai upazila.
Five drown as boat capsizes in Kaptai Lake
Five people, including three women, drowned as a boat capsized in Kaptai Lake in the district on Friday.
Visit Kaptai Lake for a breather
Kaptai Lake, the largest manmade freshwater body in Bangladesh, was created in 1956 when a dam was constructed on the Karnaphuli River for the Kaptai hydropower plant. The dam obstructed regular water flow in the river and inundated vast swathes of farmlands which later transformed into a lake.