Cox’s Bazar, Sundarbans on world’s top 77 wonders list

Bangladesh’s two unexplored natural sites-the Cox’s Bazar beach and the largest mangrove forest Sundarbans-have been placed among the top 77, out of nearly 440 naturally important places across the globe, in the New7Wonders competition.
The top 77 have been selected on votes aimed at finding out seven natural beautiful places across the globe.
The Switzerland-based New7Wonders started the campaign around the world for selecting seven most wonderful places in the world, which will be announced in 2011.
Of the 77, the panel of experts of the New7Wonders will now select the top 28 in a gala event in Zurich on July 21.
Then the voting will be opened again for voters during 2010 and 2011 to select the seven most wonderful places in the globe.
Earlier, three from Bangladesh-the world’s largest beach at Cox’s Bazar, the largest mangrove forest Sundarbans and the river Ganges (the Padma in Bangladesh) were placed on the preliminary list of the competition.
Besides, at least 15 other sites from South Asian countries were also on the preliminary list of 440 nominations from around the world.
However, Bangladesh is in the top position in the sub-continent as its two sites have been included in the top 77 list.
India’s Kaziranga national park, Pakistan’s Saiful Mulk Lake and Sri Lanka’s Sinharaja Raiforest have also been placed in the list of top 77.
Local tourism industry insiders are waiting for the golden moment, when they expect at least one of the two nominations will find a place among the top seven in the New7Wonders competition.
Mansur Ahmed, owner of the country’s leading tour operator Guide Tour Ltd., said if the Cox’s Bazar beach and the Sundarbans emerge among the top seven, the beautiful Bangladesh would easily come under the world spotlight.
The tourism business would then get a big boost, as foreign tourists would easily find the beautiful natural sites of their choice in Bangladesh, he said adding that it would also help push up significantly the country’s foreign exchange earnings.”

Courtesy of The Financial Express