People flock in Cox's Bazar

Hundreds of thousands tourists flocked in Cox's Bazar sea beach in last few days during this tourism season, partcularly, on the occasion of New Year.

People who want to have a relief from urban clamour and pass time in serenity, mostly go to Cox's Bazar this season. Tourists from other countries as well join the local tourists.

Cox’s Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industries acting president Abu Morshed Chowdhury said about 900,000 people came in last 10 days; more than 400 hotels-motels, guest houses, cottages were packed by tourists, and another 400 restaurants, fish and dry fish industries, handy craft, and tourism industry did a business of Tk 2 billion on the occasion.

Bangladesh Tourism Corporation arranges 'Beach Carnival' each year in Cox's Bazar, which has become a major tourist attraction. But most of these tourists are young people. If the organisers could arrange some programmes for people of all ages, the number of tourists would have increased.

But the festival time has been shortened this year. The reason behind this is the excessive number of tourists.

Cox's Bazar deputy commissioner Md Ali Hossain said about 900,000 people came to join the Beach Carnival, but the administration lacks sufficient manpower to handle any untoward incidents. Therefore, the administration decided to shorten the time of celebration till sunset.

Expatriate Md Al Amin came along with his wife in a vacation. He thinks general condition improved a lot, and that is a good thing.

Senior assistant superintendent of police Raihan Kazemi said tourist police is updating the tourists all the time about sea tide; so tourists can now walk along the beach 24 hours instead of till 10:00pm deadline. As a result of police patrolling, crime rate has reduced significantly and deaths in water also declined.

However, Cox’s Bazar Hotel Motel Owners’ Association president Omar Sultan said they can accommodate only 97 thousand tourists. When more people are here, they do not get sufficient accommodation. Sometimes tourists go back before their vacations end.