Ulipur’s Tupamari Agriculture Complex taken turn to recreational and picnic spot

Main gate of Tupamari Bahumukhi Krishi Complex (local named
Zia Pukur) in Ulipur upazila.

Tupamari Bahumukhi Krishi Complex (multi-purpose agriculture complex), local named Zia Pukur (pound), at Goraye village of Durgapur union under Ulipur upazila of the district has been taken turn to the recreational and picnic spot in the district.

Visitors of the agriculture complex are found in all days of all seasons when visitors’ gatherings are increased in the months of November to February. Most of them come here to enjoy picnic.

Ulipur upazila central co-operative society (UCCS) bought 25 acores of land in Tupamari marshland of the Goraye village in 1972 and dug a pound in 18.27 acores of the land under World Food Programme (WFP) in 1980-1981 fiscal year. The pond is only eight kilometre far from the zero point of Kurigram town and beside Kurigram-Chilmari road.

Tree plantations in its bank were begun after some years digging pond. But the pound was come to know to the people as the recreational spot from 1985-1986 fiscal year.

Various trees were planted in the bank, but most of old trees are not found now. As a result, the pound authority is newly planting various tree plants including fruits, medicine and forestry there. Its wide is 60 feet to 80 feet.

Visitors or picnic teams enjoy in free space under trees here where there is no entry fee for enjoying picnic or recreation.

There are tube-wells, latrines and small concrete seats in the bank. When any picnic party come here, then they enjoy constructing temporary shade in the bank. Students come to visit for their mental recreation often here.

There are four guards for taking care of the agriculture complex. There are one office room, one store room, three rest-rooms for guards, one prayer house and two irrigation pumps. Water is supplied through the pump in the pound in the winter season while water goes down.

Local Omar Faruk Manga, 40, said, “There is no picnic spot except Zia Pukur in the district. Numbers of picnic teams come to enjoy in Zia Pukur from all upazilas of the district and the nearest districts. But there is no sufficient sanitation and tube-wells. I think – much more visitors and picnic teams would come here if the facilities are developed for them.”

Bhupati Bhushan Barma, 60, Director of Bangladesh Bhawayea Academy at Ulipur, said, “Zia Pukur is the largest pond in the greater Rangpur. We have demanding for long for establishing Zia Pukur as recreational and picnic spot. Its communication way is better as it is situated beside Kurigram-Chilmari road.”

We have been trying to develop the recreation spot as a part of the agriculture complex, said Khorshed Alom, Chairman of managing committee of the UCCS.