Amid the recent surge of coronavirus infection across the country, the district administration has declared all leisure centres including the Cox’s Bazar sea beach closed until 14 April.
The shutdown came into effect from Thursday midnight. However, hotels, motels and restaurants will remain open following health guidelines.
The decision to close all leisure centres was taken at a meeting of the district administration on Thursday night.
Cox’s Bazar additional district magistrate Md Amin Al Parvej confirmed the news to Prothom Alo. He said the decision will be in effect from today’s (Thursday) midnight. Several mobile courts will carry out raids. Operation of tourist vessels will remain suspended on the Cox’s Bazar- St. Martin's and Teknaf-St. Martin's routes from Thursday. The district administration also banned all public gatherings, he added.
The general secretary of Cox’s Bazar Hotel-Motel Guesthouse Owners’ Association, Abul Kashem, told Prothom Alo at present, 30-40 thousand tourists are staying in Cox’s Bazar. He said they will meet the district administration on Friday to discuss what these tourists will do and how will they leave, he added.
Cox’s Bazar’s civil surgeon Mahbubur Rahman said infection of coronavirus was under control in Cox’s Bazar until February with 3-4 new cases being reported daily. Now the rate of infection has increased to 35-45 new cases daily because of rise in crowds, he added.
The superintendent of Cox’s Bazar tourist police, Md Zillur Rahman, said police remain vigilant and no tourist will be allowed on the beach from Thursday midnight.
Earlier, the local administration closed Patenga sea beach, all tourist spots, leisure centres and cinemas in Chattogram until 14 April.