From grazing land to a mangrove forest -- a part of the Kattali sea beach lying on the western fringe of Chittagong city has gone through this amazing transformation in the last three decades, making itself one of the prospective tourist hotspots.

Three decades ago, the Forest Department took up a plantation programme and turned a 5 sq km area from Faujdarhat to South Kattali into a scenic mangrove forest.

"In the early 1980s, the area was merely covered with green grass. Back then only cowboys would bring their cattle in the secluded area and fishermen would go fishing through the canals. The area has completely transformed into a forest just before our eyes," said Manzurul Alam, a farmer of Kattali.

The beach is situated beside Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Pahartali.

Because of the mangroves, which protect the sea shore from tidal waves, some local tourists even call the forest the "Sundarbans of Chittagong".

Mangroves and other trees cover parts of the scenic Kattali sea beach thanks to a plantation programme that was initiated by the Forest Department three decades ago. Lying on the west of Chittagong city, Kattali has turned into a potential tourist spot now but the authorities concerned are not paying proper attention to the development of the area. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das

At present, the forest has Kewra, Bain, Gewa, Sundari, Kakra, and Pashur trees, said Anwar Hossain, Kattali beat officer of Chittagong Coastal Reserve Forest (Sadar).

The Forest Department plans to gradually cover the remaining three-fourths of the coastline with trees, said RSM Munirul Islam, Chittagong divisional coastal forest officer.

Every day about a thousand people visit the forest while on weekends and holidays, the number increases manifold, according to operators of three parks -- Niribili Nirupama, Nijhum, and Shuktara -- which were set up under private initiatives to attract visitors.

But Kattali is yet to reach its true potential due to a lack of facilities and indifference of the authorities concerned.

When asked, Mesbah Uddin, deputy commissioner of Chittagong, said he sent a letter to the tourism ministry on September 21 for development of the area as a tourist spot.

Mangroves and other trees cover parts of the scenic Kattali sea beach thanks to a plantation programme that was initiated by the Forest Department three decades ago. Lying on the west of Chittagong city, Kattali has turned into a potential tourist spot now but the authorities concerned are not paying proper attention to the development of the area. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das