A number of cultural activists and tourists in Bamiyan want support from the Islamic Emirate to promote tourism to Band-e-Amir park in the winter season.
They said that if the government officials provide the grounds for the expansion of hotel services and the cleaning of the Bamiyan- Band-e-Amir road in the winter season, the Band-e-Amir National Park will become a tourist center in the winter as well.
Sayed Taqi, a cultural activist in Bamiyan said: “Tourists come for skiing, there is volleyball and football. When the water of Band-e-Amir freezes, it becomes very beautiful and people ski, play volleyball and football.”
The view of white snow and cold winter air has given Band-e-Amir National Park a fresh and spectacular face.
The clear water and the sound of high and flowing waterfalls among the glaciers add to the beauty of this recreational and natural place, and despite the cold winter, tourists enjoy being in this national park.
“Band-e-Amir has become more beautiful since spring and summer. The water is very colorful and clear, with snow next to it, which has created a wonderful landscape,” said Maisam, a visitor.
“We visited beautiful places here, it’s winter season, the ice caps are very beautiful,” said Saber, a visitor.
But the local officials of Bamiyan said that preparations are on hand to clear the Bamiyan-Band-e-Amir route in winter.
Safiullah Raed, head of Information and Culture of Bamiyan, said: “In the spring of next year, we will build a big hotel with all its facilities for visitors in Band-e-Amir.”
Band-e-Amir National Park is one of the most important recreational places in Bamiyan, which has witnessed the presence of thousands of domestic and foreign tourists every year, and based on statistics, more than 100,000 tourists have visited this place in the current solar year.
After the ban on women in Band e Amir National Park by the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, some shopkeepers and local residents said that the number of tourists has decreased, and this has caused business to decline.
They want the current government to review the decision and allow women who observe hijab to go to the park.
“The guards of the Vice and Virtue Department are standing at the gate of the national park, they have to tell the women without hijab not to enter the park,” said Mohammad Ali, a Bamiyan resident.
“There are approximately 150 houses here, and all their income came from the Band e Amir,” said Taqa, a Bamiyan resident.
Some women who support their families by selling handicrafts in Band e Amir National Park said that without the presence of women, their handicrafts cannot be sold.
“All the shops are for women, men don’t do the shopping that women do, of course people suffered and there is no selling, not only Band e Amir but all of Bamiyan has been affected,” said Ruqia Ahmadi, a seller.
However, several tourists consider going to recreational places as a citizen’s right, but they ask women to observe the Islamic hijab when going to these places.—Tolonews
