Meet Mr. Shamsul Hoque. The enterprising villager from Srimongol was one of the fortunate few chosen to open an eco-cottage on his property by the Nishorgo Support Project, a USAID (American aid agency) initiative that was trying to create tourism opportunities in the vicinity of the few forests Bangladesh still has. After receiving training from staff of the Radisson and getting a start up loan to build a nice bathroom and a rustic bamboo cottage, he began receiving guests in early 2008. His first cottage was situated in his backyard lemon grove and overlooked a small stream – a really pleasant place to dip one’s feet (or more) and to watch the sunset.

Today his little village business has been so successful that they’ve already begun expanding. By the time you read this, things will have likely changed. Shamsul built another two cottages already, one made entirely of concrete and another with mixed construction materials, and such was the demand for his accommodation in this scenic and hilly part of Bangladesh.

Surrounded by nearby tea fields, the Srimongol area has plenty of eco-friendly tourism potential, to best of which would be cycling or walking around in the tea gardens. The nearby Lawachara National Park itself is about a 45 minute walk away, where you can try to spot the very rare, very beautiful and much endangered Hoolock Gibbon.

By maintaining a locally-produced product and style of hospitality, Shamsul is already capitalising on the eco-tourism potential of his region. The only danger here is that his property becomes irresponsible by virtue of its popularity and his own desire to make more money. There is already a hint of this in that his newest buildings use corrugated tin for the rooftop and concrete foundations, where as his bamboo cottage was built on stilts and uses bamboo throughout except in the bathroom.