Sapahar is one of Naogaon's border upazilas. Three years ago, it was known only to people in Naogaon and one or two neighbouring districts. But its fame as the commercial capital of mango has now spread its name across the country. To extend that further, a 'Branding Sapahar' structure has been built in front of the Sapahar upazila parishad compound.

The eye-catching structure was conceived and built a few months ago by Abdullah Al Mamun, the former upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Sapahar. After two years and eight months in the post, he was transferred to Jaypurhat Sadar upazila on 6 December. The attractive structures he left behind constantly remind local people of the former UNO.

It is catching the eye above all of tourists heading along that road to Jabai Beel. Because the structure carries the name Sapahar in large letters alongside the words 'commercial capital of mango', travellers easily understand how famous Sapahar is for its mangoes.

Jannatun Mawa Sifa, a tourist from the Ranibazar area of Rajshahi city, told Jago News that in winter the water of Jabai Beel largely dries up and migratory birds come from Siberia and other countries. "I came to Jabai Beel to see and photograph these birds. On the way, I noticed the attractive Branding Sapahar structure. I also saw the Branding Jabai Beel structure on the road running through the middle of the beel. One cannot help praising the UNO whose creative thinking this was."

Rabiul Awal Mahi, a resident of the Hat Naogaon neighbourhood of Naogaon town, said: "I took many photos when I visited Jabai Beel last week. Many attractive structures have been built there, including a selfie point, a fish square and Branding Jabai Beel, which did not exist even two years ago. On the way back, I really liked the terracotta map, the mango square and the Branding Sapahar structure in front of the Sapahar upazila parishad. During the coronavirus period, the then Sapahar UNO took the most initiative to make our Naogaon district known across the country as the capital of mango. Naogaon is now known as the mango capital, and Branding Sapahar highlights that. It was he who gave the upazila the tagline 'commercial capital of mango'."

Sapahar upazila parishad chairman Shahjahan Hossain said former UNO Abdullah Al Mamun had embraced the whole upazila as his own during his two years and eight months in office. Numerous structures built during his time have made Sapahar known across the country, among them Branding Sapahar and Branding Jabai Beel. He completed both at the last moment before leaving, and they are now attracting tourists bound for Jabai Beel.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.