Ramsagar National Park
{{Short description|National park in Bangladesh}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Ramsagar National Park
| iucn_category = IV
| map = Bangladesh
|label=Ramsagar National Park
| relief = 1
| map_caption = Location in Bangladesh
| coordinates = {{coord|25|33|17|N|88|37|24|E|region:BD|display=inline,title}}
| location = Dinajpur District, Rangpur Division, Bangladesh
| nearest_city = Dinajpur
| area = 27.75 hectares
| established = {{Start date|2001|04|30}}
}}
Ramsagar National Park ({{langx|bn|রামসাগর জাতীয় উদ্যান}}) is a national park in Bangladesh located at. 25°33'00"N 88°37'30"E Tejpur, near Dinajpur District in the north-west of the country. The Park is 27.76 hectare, in size, and is built around a large water reservoir known as "Ramsagar tank". The lake is 1079m in length and 192.6m in width. The soil is red-yellow clay
History
The tank was built in the 18th century by Raja Ram Nath.{{cite web|title=Ramsagar National park|url=http://www.bforest.gov.bd/ramsagor.php|accessdate=14 March 2012}}{{cite web | url=http://www.bangladesh.com/national-parks/ramsagar/ | title=Ramsagar National Park, Dinajpur District }} It is believed that the lake was excavated by King Ramnath, Maharaja of Dinajpur before the Battle of Plassey.{{cite book |last1=Green |first1=Michael J.B. |title=IUCN directory SouthAsian Protected Areas |date=1990 |publisher=IUCN Publication |location=Cambridge, UK |isbn=2-8317-0030-2 |page=27 |edition=First |url=https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/8084/IUCN_directory_South_Asian_Protected_Areas.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y |accessdate=5 December 2019}} The tank was dug by 15 million workers at a cost of 30,000 Taka.
Management
The park is managed by 8 staff members which include 1 forest officers, 3 gardeners, 3 forest guards and 1 watchman. It was first established in year 1960 and was earlier recommended that the park be developed as class-B national park for recreation and education by the Government of east Pakistan in 1971. It was declared as national park on 30-4-2001 under the Bangladesh wildlife (Preservation) Amendment Act of 1947.{{cite book |last1=Ahsan |first1=Md.Modinul |title=Management Effectiveness Assessment of PAs of Bangladesh |date=November 2016 |publisher=Bangladesh Forest Department, Dhaka, Bangladesh |isbn=978-984-34-2393-1 |page=54 |edition=First |url=http://bforest.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/bforest.portal.gov.bd/page/bb40dcf3_5140_49c8_9b54_9b43993607ac/Management%20Effectivenss%20Assessment%20of%20PAs%20of%20Bangladesh.pdf |accessdate=5 December 2019}}
Flora and Fauna
There are no big trees; the park consists of a big lake surrounded by embankments. Most of the flora and fauna are associated with wetland ecosystem.
=Flora=
272 plant species belonging to 132 families were recorded in this sanctuary. Mangifera indica, Syzygium cumini, Tamarindus indica, and Semecarpus anacardium are some of the trees found in the sanctuary.
=Fauna=
The lake is full of different types of fishes. There are turtles and snakes in the lake. The animals found here are Bengal fox, golden jackal, fishing cat and jungle cat. The water birds mainly consists of white breasted water hen, jacanas, river tern, kingfishers, ringed plover, grey heron and purple heron are found here.{{cite journal |last1=Rimi |first1=R.H. |last2=Rahman |first2=F. |last3=Latif |first3=M.B. |title=Biodiversity Status and its Management at Ramsagar National Park at Dinajpur in Bangladesh |journal= Journal of Environmental Science and Natural Resources|date=10 February 2015 |volume=6 |issue=1 |page=22 |doi=10.3329/jesnr.v6i1.22035 |url=https://www.banglajol.info/index.php/JESNR/article/view/22035 |accessdate=5 December 2019|doi-access=free }} The extinct animals of this park are Indian tiger, Indian leopard, Indian rhinoceros, Indian sloth bear, striped hyena, nilgai, Indian pangolin, Indian peafowl and many more.
Threats
The plants inside the park are removed by the local villagers for food, fodder, making furniture, medicine and fuel. There is a decrease in the indigenous fish species due to overexploitation. The other factors affecting the biodiversity of the park are agricultural pollution, siltation, diseases and floods.
See also
{{portal|Environment|Bangladesh}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category|Ramsagar National Park}}
{{Protected Forests of Bangladesh}}
{{authority control}}
Category:National parks of Bangladesh
Category:Dinajpur District, Bangladesh
Category:Protected areas established in 1974
Category:1974 establishments in Bangladesh
Category:Organisations based in Dinajpur