'Unseen Bangladesh' travel map goes viral

A website Unseen Bangladesh allows internet users to save the districts of Bangladesh they have visited on a map. The platform offers interactive features covering all 64 districts of Bangladesh and 195 countries around the world.

Md Sabbir Hossain Robin has been named as the creator of the website. It says the idea for the platform came from his interest in travel and his own experience of creating a map of his travels. The website is free to use and contains no advertisements.

The creator of the website, said he faced considerable difficulties collecting information and dealing with related issues while recently travelling to Netrokona. 'That made me feel that something should be done for people who are passionate about travelling, and this is my effort towards that,' he said.

He added, 'I thank those who are creating maps and enjoying them. I want such a system to be available through a government initiative so that people can receive information support for travelling without difficulties.'

One of the website’s key features is the option to create a travel map based on the districts users have visited. They can then choose a preferred theme, add their name and photo, and download the map in PNG, JPG or PDF format.

The website also allows users to keep track of the countries they have visited outside Bangladesh. From maps covering 195 countries across six continents, users can select the countries they have travelled to and create and download a world travel map in the same way.

The platform also has a separate feature for finding travel destinations. It provides information on more than 240 tourist attractions across the 64 districts. When a district or destination is selected, the website shows information about popular and lesser-known attractions, how to get there, estimated costs and where to stay.

It also features a Trip Planner. Users can set their starting point, select the districts they want to visit, determine the order of travel, set the duration of the trip and specify the total budget. They can either arrange the districts according to the shortest-distance route or set the order according to their own preference. By setting a budget, users can also create a travel plan based on transportation and accommodation arrangements within that budget.

A user Hamim said the website adds a new dimension to tourism in the country as an interactive digital map and travel guide. 'The platform’s attractive features, including the trip planner, map puzzle and downloadable visual travel profile, impressed me. I liked it even more because it creates an opportunity to share travel memories and experiences with everyone,' he said.

Another user, Rezba Mahmud Antu, said the website gives an overview of how many districts of Bangladesh he has been able to visit so far.

The website has also received a strong response from netizens. Many social media users are sharing images of their maps and highlighting their travel experiences.