Rangamati hanging bridge reopens after a month underwater

Rangamati’s popular hanging bridge has reopened to tourists after remaining submerged for more than a month due to rising water levels in Kaptai Lake.

The bridge was reopened on Wednesday, October 14, after the lake’s water level receded and necessary repair work was completed.

Alok Bikash Chakma, manager of Rangamati Tourism Complex, said the bridge was submerged for the second time this year on September 11 as water levels in Kaptai Lake rose.

Access to the bridge was suspended on the same day for visitors’ safety. After the water receded and the bridge became visible again, the authorities carried out the necessary repairs before reopening it.

Tourism-related businesses are expecting an increase in visitors following the reopening. The bridge attracts tourists from different parts of the country, supporting hotels, motels, resorts, transport services and boat operators.

Surrounded by green hills and the blue waters of Kaptai Lake, the hanging bridge is one of Rangamati’s best-known tourist attractions. Visiting the bridge, alongside boat trips on the lake, is an important part of the tourist experience in the district.

The bridge is submerged almost every year during the monsoon when the lake’s water level rises. Last year, it remained underwater for 85 consecutive days, disrupting travel plans and causing financial losses for tourism-related businesses.

The recurring problem has become a challenge for the local tourism sector. Industry stakeholders say long-term planning is needed to address the issue, including technical assessments of the lake’s maximum water level, the bridge’s location and its structural safety. Such assessments could help determine whether the period of closure during the tourist season can be reduced.

Built in 1986, the approximately 335-foot-long hanging bridge connects two hills and remains a major landmark of Rangamati’s tourism complex.