The Beauty of Kaptai lake
The Beauty of Kaptai Lake in Rangamati is the largest man-made freshwater body in Bangladesh, where tourists can enjoy the scenic splendor with the winding mountain roads and waterfalls. A sandbar in the lake where tourists can stop by to be refreshed during a boat ride. The beauty of Kaptai lake is the largest in South Asia with an area of about 11,000 sq km, . Though created primarily for hydroelectric power generation, it contributes to produce significant quantity of freshwater fishes, navigation, flood control and agriculture etc.
History
The average depth of the lake is 100 feet (30 m) and maximum depth is 490 feet (150 m).Construction of the reservoir for the hydro-electric plant began in 1956 . As a result, 54,000 acres (220 km2) of farmland in the Rangamati District went underwater and created the lake. United states finished the project finished in 1962. International Engineering Company and Utah International Inc. received the contract for construction of the dam. The dam is 670.8 meters long, and 54.7 meters high. The dam has a 745 feet (227 m) long spillway containing 16 gates. Through the spillway 5,250,000 cu ft/s (149,000 m3/s) of water can pass.
The land that went underwater as a result of the dam construction, was 40% of the total arable land in the area. Along with that, 29 square miles (75 km2) of the Government-owned forest, and 234 square miles (610 km2) of other forest land went underwater. About 18,000 families with a total of almost 100 thousand people were also displaced. The palace of the king of the Chakma was also flooded and is now underwater.
Shuvolong Falls
The most popular trip is Shuvalong Falls (90 minutes one way). This modest waterfall is little more than a trickle for most of the year. The boat trip out to it is fabulous. First crossing the vast expanse of the main lake, then entering an area of islands covered with banana plants, and finally a dramatic pass through a steep-sided gorge.
Kaptai Town
Another popular trip with local tourists is the two-hour ride to Kaptai Town, but the town itself is a bit of a dump. There are small boat ghats all around the lake, but the main two are Reserve-Bazar Ghat and Tobolchuri Ghat. Passenger ferries shuttle locals from Reserve-Bazar to places such as Kaptai Town. They’re sometimes reluctant to take foreigners, but you can get to Shuvalong Falls for Tk 50 if they let you on. Otherwise, you’ll have to hire your own boat. Prices depend largely on your bargaining skills. At the time of research, Tk 600 per boat per hour was the going rate.
Condition before the Kaptai Dam
Rangamati town that we see now, is actually on hill tops. Rangamati seems surrounded by lake. But actually old citizens of Rangamati lived in plain lands.
In past, indigenous people used to have beautiful life, they lived happily and peacefully. Indigenous peoples of Rangamati hill district were wealthy. They had a very few insufficiency. Cultivation lands were fertile. Houses were full of rice, corps, and corn, cows, goats. The whole area was full of natural resources and wildlife. They almost had no poverty in their life unless the Kaptai Dam came as theirs life destroyer.