Birishiri – A Pretty Remote village in Bangladesh

If you look at the map of Bangladesh carefully, you will realize that Dhaka, the capital is located in the middle of the country. So, if you start from Dhaka in any direction and drive between 6 to 10 hours, you will reach the border! Just plan to start the journey early in the morning to avoid the notorious traffic. I decided to visit Birishiri, a beautiful village in the northern part of the country in an area named Durgapur. The place is under the Netrokona district which shares the border with the Indian state Meghalaya. Unlike my other write-ups, this one is not particularly a travel guide but kind of a diary and photo book of my trip to Birishiri.

The Journey from Dhaka to Birishiri

Dhaka to Gazipur – 45 Kilometers – 2.5 hours

Beware of the truck in the highway of Dhaka – they are famous for inducing an accident!

We started our journey from Dhaka at 7:30 in the morning. It’s the end of January and the temperature in Dhaka was hovering at 19 degrees Celcius. It’s a challenge to get out of Dhaka because of the traffic. It’s like a narrow funnel where the buses and trucks jumble in the street and would prohibit you to accelerate. Breakfast on our way to Birishiri was pretty heavy!

After crossing the Gazipur Chowrasta the congestion became less and we enjoyed the speed! As we didn’t eat anything in the morning, we were looking for a good restaurant for the breakfast. We stopped at Hotel Niribili & Misty Ghar in Gazipur. It seemed to be a popular highway restaurant as it was buzzing with people. I later understand the reason later, they serve tasty food! I ate tandoori, paratha, duck curry, vegetables, sweets, and tea. It was difficult for me to move as I was full of food! They have a toilet on the premises and it would be a good idea to use it as the journey ahead is not short. Mymensingh circle in Bangladesh. The three wheelers are popular as a short hauler.

Gazipur to Mymensingh – 80 Kilometers – 2 hours

The next leg of the journey was fantastic through the highway. The road was in good condition and the car ran faster than an airplane! The next major junction was Mymensing – a divisional town in Bangladesh. We didn’t enter the main city. Mymensing is famous for the largest agricultural university in Dhaka and a beautiful river named Bramhaputra. You will cross this river and continue the journey. This shot was taken during the journey to Birishiri.

Mymensingh to Birishiri – 55 Kilometers – 2 hours

After crossing the Bramhaputra river, our last leg of the journey started. The roads became narrower, but, the landscape became pretty. Bangladesh is gifted with amazingly flat and fertile land. The greeneries of the villages are pleasant for the eyes. At one point of the journey, the road went in two directions. One towards Netrokona, and another towards Durgapur. We took the road towards Durgapur. The road became narrower and bumpy.

Insaf Madrasa – Our Accommodation in Birishiri

Sunset over Birishiri – the reflection on the pond was amazing!

A member of our tour group had a friend in a Madrasa in Birishiri. They invited us to stay there. A Madrasa is a residential educational institute for studying Islam. They were generous enough to empty a room for us. It was basic accommodation, they laid futons on the floor. I had a hostel like feeling and loved it immediately. Just out of my room, there was a pond which gave sense of tranquility. The age of innocence!

This Madrasa has an interesting history. A gentleman named Syed Jaglul Waseq came to Birishiri just like me 6 years back. He fell in love with the place. Later, he thought about building a mosque here and a residential religious institute. He lives in Dhaka, has a full-time job but built this campus with devotions and passions. He visits this place at least once a month and dreams about making it a big one. Currently, about 200 children study here, many of them are orphans. Beautiful door of Insaf Mosque.

This madrasa campus has several buildings as classrooms. The classrooms are converted into accommodations at night. It also has a beautiful mosque which is still under construction. Nevertheless, I loved the exterior and interior designs of it. The door of the mosque was exquisite with carvings of the minaret, the Kaaba, and holy verses written in Arabic.

A Walk in the Evening

A cow is gazing on the grass in a typical village of Bangladesh.

After having a late lunch, we didn’t have much light left for the day. So, we went out to take a quick stroll around the area. The weather was about 3 degrees cooler than Dhaka. The winter is about to go away, still, it was chilly. If you take a walk in a typical village of Bangladesh, you will be able to experience raw nature. The domestic cows will be gazing in the field. There will be a lot of trees, most of them are unplanned and in patches. The rice that we eat goes through different stages, do you know about them?

You will not find a place without any water reservoir. And, you will find paddy fields in different shapes, mostly rectangular. From paddy to rice, it goes through different cycles. I saw most of them during my walk in the evening. I spent time taking the fresh air and stayed outside as long as I was not freezing. It was already a long day, I came back to Insaf Madrasa to take some rest.

Study at Night

Study mode is on in the verandah of the institution.

When I came back, it was already dark. I could hear loud voices of study from the young learners from different sections of the campus. I was curious about a typical day for the students. As this is a kind of institution, I am not much familiar with, I was surprised to know their routine. The day starts very early in the morning – during Fajr prayer. That’s around 5 to 6 in the morning depending on the season. The class continues from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. They study on their own after evening again. You can’t have any exception to this – it’s a pretty strict routine they have to follow. No room for a weak guy like me.

Hospitality all Around!

That delicious duck curry to die for!

The hospitality we received there was simply mind-blowing! The students volunteered and took care of every need. When I wanted to do a star trail photography in the middle of the night, one of them came with me, they simply didn’t want to leave their host alone at night. The beef curry – hot and spicy.

They cooked for us inside and served the food. Those are some of the sumptuous food I ever take! The foods tasted even better because of the freshness of them. During our two nights of stay, we ate barbecued beef and chicken, beef curry, duck curry, fish fries, vegetables, salads, lentils, and cow milk. I can still taste them in my bud and ever grateful to them for the hospitality they extended to the strangers.

Day Long Expedition in Birishiri

A machine extracting sands and stones from water

We started early in the morning for exploring Birishiri. Most of the attractions are on the other side of the river. I loved the name of the river – it’s Someshwari. When I came near the river, I became sad instantly. The water of the river has waters and stones. When people realized it, they began to exploit it like crazy. You will see tons of devices that are sucking the water from the river and extracting the sand and stones from it. It’s not any place in the middle East, it’s in Bangladesh.

When I walked further, I got confused about the place. While I was expecting a mighty river, I could only see endless sands. For a moment, I thought about reaching Dubai. Maybe, it’s winter so the rivers have dried up, I believe that then things will be different during the monsoon. I hope that the greediness of humans has nothing to do with it.

Crossing the Someshwari River

You can rent a boat to cross the river

Although the Someshwari River didn’t have much water, it had a strong current. There is no bridge to cross it. So we rented a boat to cross the river. It was an engine-driven boat and took us less than 10 minutes to arrive at the Kamarkhali boat terminal. The water of the river was pretty transparent. The one-way cost for crossing the river is BDT 20 per person.

Renting a three wheeler in Kamarkhali

Haystack in Kamarkhali village, Netrokona

The boat left us in a village named Kamarkhali. From there, we took a short walk and found a place where several battery-driven three-wheelers were waiting. They will take you to most of the famous places in Birishiri. It can accommodate 6 people and rent varies from 600 to 700 per day. Make sure to negotiate the price with the driver before commencing your journey to avoid any issues in the future.

Zero Point – the border between India and Bangladesh

The Bangladeshi border ends here – written on red background. Bijoypur – 0 Kilometer is written on the yellow.

Bangladesh and India share more than 4000 Kilometers of international land borders making it the fifth-longest international land border in the world. Unlike European countries, the borders between sub-continental countries mean tensions! In most places, the borders are guarded by border control police and it’s not uncommon for them to shoot people often suspected as intruders. In this process, they even kill innocent people. The location above marks the end of part of Bangladesh. The shades at the other parts belong to the Indian state of Meghalaya. Interestingly, people cannot go to the other side The beautiful road leading to the zero point.

The border guards of Bangladesh (BGB) have a regiment here and you need to take permission from them to reach zero points. Usually, the police will accompany you to ensure safety. The journey to the zero points from the border post takes about 10 minutes and it’s a scenic route. The road is surrounded by green Meghalaya mountains. Interestingly, people are not allowed to cross this border. What’s the point?

Taking a boat ride in Someshwari River

These boats will take you for a trip in Someshwari River

After getting back from the zero points, head towards the boat terminal adjacent to the office of the Border Guard of Bangladesh. You will find several small boats there. Earlier we took the boats to cross the river. Now is the time to relax and enjoy your time in the Someshwari River.

Short Hike to Orange Garden Hill

A view downwards from the orange garden hill.

A short hike will take you to an orange garden hill. I don’t know why it is called such because I didn’t see any orange garden on top. However, when you climb up, one can expect to have a nice view. Sadly, I didn’t find the views interesting as the trees blocked the view. However, a hike is always fun, isn’t it?

Time for Some Shopping?

Don’t be fooled by the insipid look of those oranges, they are delicious!

At the base of the hill, you will find some shops selling Indian products. They are particularly popular as the price is reasonable. I bought some chocolates and cookies from there. However, look out for the oranges and coconuts in the streets. Although their looks might be uninspiring, they are delicious! Don’t miss them.

The Beautiful Lake!

The ever changing color of the lake makes it fascniating!

This is the most beautiful part of Birishiri and whenever you will see a photo of this area, you will see this. This lake changes its color in different seasons. When I went there, it was emerald blue. In a different season, it turns into a complete blue. If you are in bad luck, you might end up seeing a murky lake! What do you like more? The foreground or the background?

You can traverse the entire lake in less than 30 minutes. It will not be an easy one at times as there are no paved roads and you need to climb up without any support. Do not forget to take a good pair of hiking shoes with you otherwise, you will struggle. I won’t be surprised if you spend an entire day here enjoying the ever-changing color of the lake.

The Walk Continues

A young lad is selling cucumber.

From the lake, I headed towards the ceramic mountains. On my way, I enjoyed the entrepreneurship of people. As a handful of tourists visit here, people earn by selling different things. The boy above was selling fresh cucumber. Not far from him, I found coconut water. I couldn’t capture the reflection of the tree properly through my lens.

I found another lake on my way. It was calm and quiet with some gorgeous trees. You will find several small mountains adjacent to it. The tourists were having a fun time taking photos all around. I wanted to sit below the tree but I didn’t, my walk continued.

The Pink Mountain

They look bizarre if you look at them closely.

Another short hike along the way took me to the famous pink mountain. There was a mix of yellow and pink together. Due to the chemical formation of the soil, it looks like it. The lake in Pink mountain is bigger in size.

You will find an even bigger lake than the previous one surrounded by these ceramic pink mountains. However, the color of the water does not have any magic here – they are simply like the color of a typical lake. It does not make it less beautiful as the vibrant color of the mountains overcompensate it. After spending some good time there, we headed back towards our den.

A Typical School in Bangladesh

16 Farongpara Government primary school

On our way back, I came across a government-run primary school. Interestingly, the school was here since 1918 although they got a new building in 2006. Here, we consider level 5 (starting from 1) as primary education. In government institutions, primary education is absolutely free. Sadly, the school was closed, an effect of COVID-19 that we are still carrying.

Smile Please – Happiness in the Air

“May I take a photo of yours’?” – this was the response!

Birishiri is remote. You will not find strong cellular signals everywhere. Needless to say, the internet connectivity is patchy. People mostly live on cultivations of rice and domestic animals. If you hear these, you might think them unfortunate as you have good internet connectivity, endless sources of entertainment in the form of Netflix, YouTube, Facebook, and so on. Smile please, I said – an angel appeared in my frame.

However, if you like to measure happiness just like I do, we all are wrong. I could sense happiness in the air in one of the remotest villages in Bangladesh. Their life is simple, they are not chasing happiness, it’s everywhere they go. Whenever I met someone, he greeted me with a smile. I envy them!

Prayer Time

You have to take off your shoe outside of your mosque before entering there for offering your prayer.

A Muslim is supposed to pray five times a day throughout the year as instructed by their holy scripture. Each of the prayers has its name according to the timing – Fajr (just before dawn), Duhr (after midday), Asr (evening), Magrib (after the sun sets), Isha (at night before taking dinner). A not so good Muslim like me prays occasionally, however, the students at the Madrasa offers their prayers 5 times a day. It takes a lot of dedication and devotion to maintain such a strict routine – comes what may. I can’t imagine getting up on a chilly morning during winter when everything is dark outside!

A Hike to a Hill through Village

A scarecrow is protecting a vegetable garden. I can see gourd.

During the evening, we went out for a stroll. The objective was to climb the hill and have a walk in the village. I always love to take a walk through the villages of Bangladesh, I enjoy every little thing I see. The cows are returning home.

The light was fading away. The shepherds were taking the cows home. They were gazing throughout the days and now they will get a shade to take a rest. If you look carefully, it’s a narrow path of mud and hills on one side of it! Tunnel made of Bamboo, it looked cute!

I got fascinated to see my location on the map. I was literally residing at the edge of the border between India and Bangladesh. Interestingly, it was unmarked and unguarded. My aim was to climb the little mountain at the front. Resting place of the farmer.

The signs of crop fields were visible everywhere. I found a shade made of bamboos and straw on my way. It gives relief to the farmers during scorching heat. That’s India, the Meghalaya.

15 minutes of the relatively easy hike took me to the top of a hill. I didn’t know the name of it, maybe it is one of those in the Garo range. The sun is already set and it was pretty dark. Still, I could enjoy the mountain range in the far – those belong to India. A bunch of kids are getting warm in fire in a field.

I took a circular route during the descend. It left me to the other side of the village. Although it got dark, I saw kids playing in the field. A bunch of them was lighting a fire to get some warmth in the winter. You can see a no-frill bi-cycle above, these are super cheap and of great utility to traverse the rugged terrain of the village. I was feeling a bit sad as I knew that, my time in Birishiri has ended and I have to get back to Dhaka tomorrow. I tried to enjoy the last few minutes of it before it gets completely dark.

On our way back to Dhaka from Birishiri

Nothing can beat hot Jilapi – a traditional sweet in Bangladesh.

We took the same route from Birishiri to Dhaka through Mymensingh and started earlier, around 7:00 AM. In the roundabout of Mymensingh, we stopped for taking our breakfast. It was an ordinary restaurant from the outside. However, in the kitchen, I found a man preparing Jilapi – a traditional sweetmeat in Bangladesh. This made my breakfast delicious, God knows how many Parathas did I eat!

Final Words

An evening in the Madrasa – kids all around – calm and serene.

Before leaving Birishiri, Motiur, a wonderful soft-spoken lad came to say goodbye. He asked me in a low voice –

“Do you pray five times a day?”

I nodded my head from left to right.

He suggested me with a gentle smile -“Please try!”

While I am struggling to put any marks in this life and afterlife – fantastic people like Motiur are surely preparing for what mattered most to him. My trip to Birishiri was not only a rewarding one for enjoying nature but also a mind-boggling experience of interacting with real humans. The trip to Birishiri was an unforgettable trip of my life.

Where else can I go in Bangladesh?

• The longest uninterrupted sea beach in Cox’s Bazar.
• An amazingly beautiful island Saint Martin’s.
• Play with clouds in Sajek Valley.
• Explore the buzzing capital of Dhaka.

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