The cable car at the Aviary and Eco Park in Rangunia’s Hosnabad area, Chattogram, has remained non-operational for over two years following vandalism and looting in August 2024. The government-run facility, built at a cost of approximately Tk17.67 crore, was once a key attraction, carrying visitors roughly 100 feet above the park’s hills, forests, and water bodies on a 1,200-meter route.
During a three-day attack from August 5 to 7, 2024, vandals caused extensive damage to both the lower and upper stations. Essential machinery, including motors, brakes, and circuit boards, was stolen or destroyed, while the cabin glass, ticket counters, control rooms, and generator rooms suffered significant harm. Officials estimate restoration costs could exceed Tk30 crore due to the need to import specialized components, but no budget allocation has yet been made to initiate repairs.
The lower station, situated near the park’s entrance, and the upper station, located about 2.5 kilometers away, both sustained severe damage. The lower station’s control and generator rooms are in disrepair, with broken glass and debris scattered, and seven cabins have damaged glass. The upper station also has five damaged cabins, as well as broken doors, windows, and control equipment.
The park, spread over 520 acres of protected hilly forest about 35 kilometers from Chattogram city on the Chattogram-Kaptai road, opened in November 2013. The cable car system was installed by a foreign company beginning in 2012, launching operations in December 2014 with 12 cabins in use, each with a capacity of six adults. However, the cable car has experienced multiple interruptions since its inception. It was first closed in 2015 after heavy rains eroded soil around a key support pillar. The Forest Department responded with a Tk1.25 crore protective wall project. Service was also suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic and again in 2021 due to mechanical faults before briefly reopening in September 2023. The vandalism in August 2024 forced another shutdown.
Plans for a second-phase expansion, valued at Tk125.51 crore and approved in 2018, were ultimately abandoned after the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) identified technical challenges.
The cable car was a major draw for both local and international visitors. Before the shutdown, daily attendance numbers ranged from 500 to 700, occasionally surpassing 1,000 visitors. Ticket prices were Tk230 for adults and Tk115 for children. Since the closure, daily visitor counts have dropped to fewer than 100, significantly reducing revenue from tickets and overall park income.
Other damaged park facilities have been repaired using Forest Department funds, but the cable car’s restoration remains stalled due to its complexity and cost. Meanwhile, the park has been leased to a private operator, M/S Ayub and Brothers, for Tk19.20 lakh for one year starting October 1, 2026. The concession includes rights to collect entrance fees, operate three shops, manage a parking area of 2,304 square meters, and oversee one lake, but does not cover the defunct cable car system.