An aesthetic public landmark named “Lichu Chattar” has been built at the entrance to Dinajpur town with the aim of branding the district’s renowned litchi, enhancing urban beauty and raising public awareness.
Dinajpur is widely regarded as the birthplace of litchi cultivation in Bangladesh, although no specific year has been documented, with local accounts tracing its origins back to the British period when saplings were reportedly brought from Bombay and planted in Auliapur Union of Sadar upazila.
The structure, set up at the Dinajpur Government College intersection, has already become a visual attraction, particularly in the evening, drawing visitors who stop to take photographs and selfies or slow down to take in the view.
The chattar was inaugurated on January 3 following completion of construction by Rangpur Division Divisional Commissioner NDC Md Shahidul Islam, in the presence of Additional Deputy Commissioner Md Riaz Uddin and Dinajpur Municipality Administrator.
Officials said the initiative was planned and implemented under the supervision of the municipal administration as part of wider efforts to improve urban development, beautification and citizen-friendly public spaces, a role that has drawn appreciation from city residents.
Local stakeholders expressed optimism that the Lichu Chattar would, over time, emerge as a symbol of Dinajpur’s tourism, culture and urban identity.
Over the decades, varieties such as Bombay, Madrazi, Hariya Bedana, Kathali, China-3 and Golapi have been cultivated in the district, building a reputation for quality that has reached markets at home and abroad.
Despite a cultivation history spanning around 150 years, little formal research has been carried out on Dinajpur litchi, even as demand continues to grow nationwide and overseas.
Visitors said Dinajpur produces some of the country’s finest Litchis, often affectionately described by locals as a “natural rosogolla” for their sweetness and flavour.
An auto-rickshaw driver said the junction, formerly known simply as Dinajpur Government College Mor, has now become popularly recognised as Lichu Chattar since the structure was built.
Dinajpur Government College Botany Department head and Teachers’ Association General Secretary Associate Professor Md Delowar Hossain said the district’s litchi has already received Geographical Indication recognition, adding that the chattar would play an important role in branding the fruit while contributing to city beautification and public awareness.
