Taabu Ekduaria: Setting the pathway to village tourism
The Ekduaria village in Narsingdi has recently been attracting tourists from developed countries, all thanks to a homestay initiative by Jafar Tuhin, a young local tourism entrepreneur
Children walking barefoot on mud roads, occasionally stopping to taste a non-exotic fruit freshly picked from a roadside tree, or trying to catch fish from a pond with a small net - you would agree these are rather common sights in the villages of Bangladesh.
But what if these children are not Bangladeshi? Would not that make people turn their heads and try to figure out what is happening?
This is exactly what is being seen nowadays in a rather ordinary village in Monohardi Upazila in Narsingdi district. The village with a sweet name, Ekduaria, has recently been attracting tourists from developed countries, and all this is happening thanks to a young local tourism entrepreneur, Jafar Tuhin.
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"Village tourism is popular in many countries. But it was not quite a thing in Bangladesh," Jafar told The Business Standard.
"I have been running a tour agency for years, and it was Dhaka-based. Many foreign tourists actually wanted to visit the rural areas. In early 2020, I returned to the village and thought it was a perfect time to launch a suitable package," the visionary entrepreneur added.
The agency, Taabu Tour, only served inbound tourists. Jafar has also been an Airbnb host since 2013. He used this experience in starting village tourism.
"Villagers are simple-minded, and they are very hospitable. They treat foreign guests in a way which is rare in the rest of the world. They are excited to have a chance to meet foreign tourists and they always invite them to their homes and entertain them," Jafar told us, adding, "tourists appreciate the hospitality along with the activities they get to do, which matches the rural lifestyle."
Sarah Steiner, a tourist and travel blogger from New Zealand, recently visited Ekduaria village with her family. She wrote a blog named 'A unique village homestay in Bangladesh at Taabu Ekduaria' on her website, where she shared her experience in detail.
"It is not that easy to meet a local family while staying in hotels around the country. A homestay in Bangladesh gives you a completely different opportunity to meet a family and see the way of family life untainted/untouched by tourism," she wrote.
The tourists would actively participate in preparing the meals so they get the real taste of rural lifestyle.
"Our first morning task was to milk the cow. We collected duck eggs. Then we headed to the nearby gardens to pick okra, eggplant and squash to make breakfast," Sarah's blog reads.
"For Gavin (the husband) this was his first time cooking in a mud-kitchen. And he did an awesome job. We had homemade scrambled duck eggs, fried okra and eggplant with masala (something that he could not give a name to; but it tasted great in the end!)," the blog described.
The tourists also get to explore the ruins in Wari-Bateshwar, one of the earliest urban archaeological sites in Bangladesh, dating back to 400 to 100 BCE. They can also visit a museum that preserves many artefacts found in the area.
Another British couple, on their YouTube channel 'Sun Kissed Bucket List', were seen learning how to plant paddy while visiting Ekduaria.
Apart from living the rural lifestyle, what also makes tourists happy is that they can help the community by travelling to the village.
"It is a good feeling knowing that money spent does not leave the village. Food for your stay is locally purchased or traded. The rickshaw driver lives next door. And buying a local chai or some fresh cow's milk all helps support local families," Sarah wrote on her blog.
The tour package, spanning over two nights and three days, costs $200 (Tk20,000) per person for tourists travelling in a group. For each extra night, a tourist has to pay $40 (Tk4,000). For a tourist travelling alone, the price is a bit higher, $350 (Tk35,000). The package includes a tour of historic Sonargaon, one of the oldest cities of this region.
Among all the attractions, hospitality of the villagers is something that the tourists visiting Ekduaria can never forget.
"Trust me, hospitality in the village is so special. You will not walk far without being waved over and welcomed to come inside somebodies' home and have a seat under the fan. Do not worry about language, it is universal to appreciate a beautifully kept home," Sarah added.
Tourists clearly enjoy the unique experience Jafar is providing through his initiative. And their blogs and videos are playing a role in attracting more foreign nationals to visit the village.
For now, Jafar's is the only home in the village which is hosting tourists. But other villagers are also showing interest.
"My neighbour, Tajul Islam, is preparing his home to be able to host tourists. Hopefully it will be ready by November," said Jafar.
75% people of Bangladesh live in the villages. Without visiting the villages, it is not possible to know the country, he said.
"Some have been working with the ethnic communities, but at Ekduaria, tourists can get a taste of the mainstream Bangladeshi culture," said the self-taught tour operator and traveller who is a mathematics graduate.
Rural tourism is inherently sustainable due to its 'slow' characteristics compared to the conventional tourism industry, he opined. He also thinks the potential of village tourism in the country is very high.
"We do not have to turn our villages into towns. When people realise that foreign tourists love our villages, they will be interested in preserving the characteristics of our villages," he concluded.
