Md. Aman Ullah, Cox’s Bazar:
Cox’s Bazar is bustling with tourists. Tourists have flocked to Cox’s Bazar beach during the weekend and four-day holiday until December 16. It is reported that no room is vacant in more than five hundred hotels and motels.Many tourists are wandering around with their bags and luggage without getting a room. Hotel owners are expecting a business worth hundreds of crores of taka this season due to the expected influx
of tourists.They say that from Friday to December 17, there was no room vacant in any hotel, motel, guesthouse or resort. Although 10 percent of the rooms were vacant from December 18 to December 25, 100 percent of the rooms were booked in advance until the thirty-first night (December 31). The owners believe that at least 700,000 tourists will gather on the beach in the next 10 days. Abul Kashem Sikder, president of the Cox’s Bazar Hotel Guesthouse Owners Association, said that although there has been a slight shortage of tourists so far, the number of tourists has increased in December. As the annual exams in educational institutions are over, many people have come to Cox’s Bazar beach to spend this long vacation with their families. Our hotel is almost 100% booked. Many tourists want rooms but we are not able to provide them. Abdul Jabbar, manager of Sea-Gazipur Resort, said that there is no room vacant in our hotel since last Friday. The pressure will remain till January 10.
Tourist Riyad, who is visiting Cox’s Bazar, said, “We came to Cox’s Bazar with friends. We are in danger after coming here without booking a room. We are not getting any rooms. Some rooms are empty in the cottages. They are not of high quality and the prices are high.” Another tourist, Kaiser, said, “Our children’s exams are over. So we are coming to give them time. It feels good to see so many people at the seashore. When I went to Sugandha Point last Saturday, I saw that Kalatali Point, Sugandha Point and Laboni Point on the beach were full of tourists. Except for these three points, there was a noticeable crowd at other points. The arriving tourists are standing on the sandbank, riding horses, water bikes and beach bikes and enjoying the sea view. Some tourists are enjoying bathing in the salt water. Executive Magistrate of Cox’s Bazar Tourist Cell, Tanvir Hossain, said, “Cox’s Bazar is bustling with the footfall of millions of tourists. We are ready to serve the arriving tourists. If we receive a complaint if any tourist is harassed, we will take action.” Tourist Police Cox’s Bazar Region Assistant Superintendent of Police Abul Kalam said, “We are working to ensure the safety of incoming tourists. Our patrols have been increased twofold.”
