Bandarban's Golden Temple in CHT opened for tourists

The Golden Buddhist temple of Bandarban has been reopened to tourists after it was closed nine months ago.

But security arrangements at the temple, called Buddha Dhatu Jadi because of its relics of the Buddha, have been intensified.

The temple is located close to Balaghata town, in Bandarban City.

Completed in 1995 in Arakanese architechure, the temple has the second largest Buddha statue in Bangladesh.

The Buddha’s dhatu (relic), which is enshrined in the temple, was a gift given to Ven. U Paññya Jota Mahathero in 1994 by the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee of Myanmar

"We responded to repeated requests from the local administration to open the temple for tourists, " said  U Paññya Jota Mahathero , the founder and chief priest of the temple.

Mahathero belongs to the royal Bohmong family of Bandarban, has been a Theravada monk since 1991 and before that served the government for 8 years as a senior assistant judge.

The temple was closed to tourists on 20 Feb this year after the administration received complaints that tourist misconduct was undermined the holiness of the temple.

"All necessary security arrangements have been made at the temple. Police will be permanently deployed there," said Bandarban SP Sanjit Kumar Ray.

He said metal detectors will be used to check tourists before they are allowed into the temple.