Satla Beel is situated in the Satla (Village), Satla (Union) of Wazirpur, Barisal, Bangladesh. The area of the beel is about 200 acres and that is 60 km away from Barisal City, Bangladesh. The beel is called “Shaplar Beel” as the total area of the beel is full of Shapla (water lilies) that is the blessing of Almighty. And that is why we can say that Satla is the kingdom of red water lilies as the maximum area of the beel is full of red water lilies. Eventually, the local people of the region are feeling proud of having this kind of natural beauty.
The beauty of the kingdom can exist for about 5 months (June-July to October-November). The original beauty of the beel of red lilies can be enjoyed best at dawn till 8 AM as well as in the afternoon. Actually, 3 kinds of water lilies can be observed in Satla beel area and those are red colored lilies, white colored lilies, and pink colored lilies. However, red lilies can be seen mostly throughout the beel of Satla village. Maximum of the area is the wetland and the soil of the Satla beel is organic matter rich as well. The local people are also cultivating native and introduced fishes such as Grass carp, Climbing perch, Walking Catfish, Swamp barb, Golden mahseer, Silver carp, Indian Tilapia, Indian Rui that are also an income source for sustaining their lives there. When the season of the water lilies will be ended up, the local people will cultivate different hybrid paddy in their lands.
About 70% of the local people are directly or indirectly involved with the cultivation of water lilies as that is one of the best-earning sources based on the geographical feature of the area. The water lilies are sent throughout the country for selling. The beel can also be played an essential role in maintaining the economic status of the local people. There are many boatmen who are helping the visitors to enjoy the beauty of red lilies of the Satla beel.
There are some limitations as well. The area is not suitable for the tourist who wants to stay there for several days as the infrastructures of the area are not good. There is no hotel to live in. The local people are very much good. They give support to the tourist to live in their own home. They manage the food for them as the tourist are supporting them to buy goods for cooking (That is said by a local boatman named Mohammad Mohsin Hawlader). The government should take some necessary steps to make the region as a perfect tourist place. Thus, the socio-economic status of the people of the region can also be developed.
Author:
Md. Nayem Hasan Munna
Soil and Environmental Sciences,
The University of Barishal,
Barishal, Bangladesh.
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.nayemhasanmunna.info