দাকোপ, খুলনা

For anyone who wants to explore the mystery and beauty of the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest and its nearby locality while enjoying a few nights’ stay, there is no better way to get there than the Dacope. This upazila of the Khulna District is located at the far end of the district. It was established as a thana of the district in 1906 but was converted into an upazila in 1983.

The Dacope area guide shows the upazila has a land area of 382.85 square kilometers. However, it is about 991.56 square kilometers, including Sundarbans. It has a population of more than 1.5 lakh. It is bounded by Batiaghata Upazila in the north, Sundarban Forest in the south, Batiaghata Upazila and Rampal Upazila (of Bagerhat) in the east, and the Paikgacha Upazila in the west.

What makes this upazila stand out is that it offers more facilities and accommodations for visitors and tourists than other nearby areas. Travelers can access Dacope from the Khulna City area and use the Batiaghata upazila route directly via bus.

Though there are no railway routes in the area, people also use ferries, boats, and launches to cross rivers or visit the locations of Sundarbans forest areas. The main water bodies surrounding the upazila are the Shibsa River, Pasur River, Chunkuri River, Jhapjhapaia Canal, etc.

Though Dacope seems like a locality from the main town, it is one of the few upazilas with more paved roads than mud roads. It also has over 650 bridges and culverts. While communications in the area are pretty good compared to many others, natural disasters often cause havoc in daily life here.

Because it has many ponds, rivers, canals, and other water sources, the economy of the upazila has flourished due to fisheries and shrimp cultivation. It has over 6,110 ponds, over 4,500 lobster farms, 40 shrimp farms, and 4 shrimp hatcheries. There are also over 867 poultries in Dacope.

Notable educational institutes in Dacope are Muhammad Ali Secondary School, Chalna Bazar Government Girl's High School, Chalna MM College, etc. Historical and other notable landmarks are Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Center, Kalibagi Eco Tourism Center, Shekher Tek Eco Tourism Center, Ruin of Shibsha Temple, Chalna Lunch Terminal, etc.