Jhongo

About

Young tourism entrepreneur Parag Ahmed has run tours since 2013 and, as a partner, built a resort on St Martin's Island. About six years before the article he built a small boat called 'Ronger Kheya' in the style of Tanguar Haor's usual boats. As it drew few guests among the many houseboats, he decided to build a houseboat modelled on the malar, a Bengal boat type about 3,000 years old. In early 2022 he began work with Sunamganj boatbuilders using jarul, sal, gajari and ironwood, buying logs from villages himself and having them cut at a sawmill. The boat was ready in July 2023 and he named it 'Jhongo' after another traditional Bengal boat; it had four or five bookings before launch. On 14 July, while moored at Sahebbari Ghat in Sunamganj town, it caught fire and 60 percent of it burned. The surviving part, including the prow, is worth Tk 20–22 lakh; he had two investors but, without asking them for more money, he has raised funds himself and restarted work, keeping the malar design unchanged.

Products and services

• Tanguar Haor trips on the Jhongo houseboat

  Houseboat built in malar-boat style; being rebuilt after fire damage

• Trips on the Ronger Kheya boat

  A small boat in the style of Tanguar Haor's traditional boats

• Tour organising

  Since 2013

Address and hours

To learn or to work here

• Visitors welcome