Madhupur Garh, also known asMadhupur Sal Forest orMadhupur Jungle, is a large forested area and elevated region located in the central part ofBangladesh. The Madhupur Garh region stretches from the southern part ofJamalpur District in the north toFatullah Thana ofNarayanganj Sadar Upazila in the south. Most areas ofTangail andGazipur Districts, as well asDhaka City, are included within this Garh region. The northern part of the Garh is known as Madhupur Garh, and the southern part is known as Bhawal Garh.Madhupur National Park has been formed from the portion of the Garh located inMadhupur Upazila, andBhawal National Park has been formed from a portion located inGazipur.
After the Madhupur forest came under the jurisdiction of theForest Department in 1962, initiatives were taken to conserve the biodiversity of the forest. According to the Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) Order of 1974, with the aim of biodiversity conservation, an area of 84,366 hectares of this forest was declared as two national parks, named Madhupur and Bhawal, in 1982.[1][2]
The land in this region is slightly elevated compared to the adjacent floodplains formed by deposition and is composed ofhalloysite andillite.[3] These together have formed an elongated terrain stretching north to south, which is part of a memorial paleosol. In theUpper Pleistocene period, due to heavy rainfall and various erosional processes, severalPleistocene terraces became separated in this region.[4] Later, these terraces became connected with one another and were filled with fertilealluvial soil in open areas, forming the floodplains.
The central highland is composed of a highly weathered and leached reddish-brown deposit orprimitive rock known as the Madhupur Clay. This deposit was formed in the Late Pleistocene due to climatic factors and consists of several disjointed Pleistocene terraces.[5] It is the second largest Pleistocene terrace in Bangladesh. The clay developed in a depositionalfluvial environment and, according to geologists, was formed approximately 0.97 to 0.90 million years ago.[3]
Madhupur Garh is the third-largest natural forest in Bangladesh and is rich in biodiversity. About 190 animal species are found in the Garh area. InMadhupur National Park, 21 species of mammals, 140 species of birds, and 29 species of reptiles and amphibians have been recorded. Notable animals include thecapped langur,rhesus monkey,barking deer, porcupine, wild boar,clouded leopard; among the various bird species are thekingfisher,brown wood owl,jungle fowl, etc. In the past, animals like elephants, tigers, leopards, and peacocks used to roam in Madhupur Garh.[6] From 1868 to 1876, a total of 413 elephants were hunted in Madhupur Garh.[7] According to theForest Department, Bhawal Garh contains 64 species of animals, including 6 species of mammals, 9 species of reptiles, 10 species of amphibians, and 39 species of birds.
There are about 176 species of various plants in the Madhupur jungle. Among them are 73 species of trees, 22 species of shrubs, 27 species ofclimbers, 8 species of grasses, 1 species of palm tree, and 45 species of medicinal plants. Additionally, several exotic plant species have been planted under the initiative of the Forest Department.[6] The most commonly seen tree in Madhupur Garh is the sal or gazari tree, which is why it is also known as a sal forest. Notable plants includesal,mahua, bahera, amlaki, turmeric, amra, jiga, bhadi, aswattha, banyan, serpentina, shatamuli, jayna, bidha, har goja, behula, etc.[1] Moreover, fruit-bearing plants such as mango, jackfruit, black plum, and guava are found throughout the region.[8][9]
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24°34′13″N90°8′10″E / 24.57028°N 90.13611°E /24.57028; 90.13611
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