The Silent Island

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Nijhum Dwip is a recently discovered island 2 kilometers southwest of Hatia under Noakhali district. Isolated from the Hatia channel,some identify the island as a cluster of 4 or 5 smaller islands. It was initially discovered by fishermen who noticed a small piece of floating land located at the southern part of the sea. Over the years, the island accumulated land-mass and was soon large enough for recognition.
It was not settled until 1970, until then only seaonally.Because of riverbank erosion in nearby areas, especially Hatiya, Shahbajpur and Ramgati people migrated to the island as new settlers. Subsequently, a substantial aforestation drive was undertaken by the forestry department of Bangladesh. The island soon became a recognised eco-tourist spot because of the perennial mangrove forests and wild life including animals such as spotted deer, wild boar and rhesus macaque. The island is also home to nearly 100 species of migratory birds, around a dozen of which are considered to be critically endangered.
In 2001, a significant portion of the island was designated as Nijhum Dwip National Park under the jurisdiction of Noakhali district in Bangladesh. The population in Nijhum Dwip in 2001 was 10,670. Their main occupations are cultivation, fishing and livestock farming. But the island suffers from natural calamities, and life is hard and risky.




© Inkiad Hasin, 2012