Cox's Bazar beach brims with tourists

OUR CORRESPONDENT

COX'S BAZAR, Oct 12: Cox's Bazar sea beach is one of the most popular tourist destinations where tourists come when they get a break from work.

The Durga Puja holiday has started like every year and employees have got four-day vacation on the occasion of the puja and weekend.

A large number of tourists are coming to Cox's Bazar from different parts of the country to have a vacation during this long holiday.

At least 0.35 million of tourists already came to Cox's Bazar in the last three days since Thursday. Some 0.20 million of tourists are expected to arrive here.

Since Friday morning, tourists have been flocking to the sea beach and surrounding tourist centres.

Besides the point of Cox's Bazar beach, tourists are running along the Marine Drive road. Daryanagar Tourist Centre, Himachari National Park, Jharna, Inani and Patuartek rocky beaches, Teknaf, Maheshkhali's Adinath Temple, Ramu Buddhapalli, Chakaria Dulahajara Safari Park and Nivrete Nisarga are thronged by tourists on this road.

Over five hundred hotels, motels, resorts, guesthouses and cottages in and around the tourist town of Cox's Bazar have overnight accommodation for about 2 lakh tourists.

The businessmen concerned said that most of the hotel rooms have already been booked.

For that reason, they advised tourists to book hotels in advance.

Due to July-August anti-discrimination student movement, frequent natural calamities, floods and heavy rains, this major tourist centre of the country was recently empty of tourists.

However, tourists started coming to Cox's Bazar in the middle of last month. Even with 60 percent discount on hotel rooms on the occasion of Tourism Day, not many tourists came to visit.

However, as the pressure of tourists increased, the businessmen withdrew the discount on room rent.

On Friday morning, going to Labani, Sugandha and Kalatali beach, it was seen that the beach is full of tourists.

Tourism businessman Abdur Rahman said that in the next five days, many tourists will come to the beach.

At least more than lakh of tourists visit the beach in the morning and afternoon. After the afternoon, the beach is filled with tourists walking.

After a long time, the crowds of tourists have brought smile to the faces of businessmen. He hopes that next week will see good business.

Shimul Sharma, a tourist who came to sea view with his family at Labani Point of the beach.

"On the occasion of the puja vacation, I have come to Cox's Bazar whereto I have never come before."

Pooja Devi, a tourist who came from Rajshahi, said, "Whenever I get a long vacation, I rush to Cox's Bazar with my family. Here the blue water of the sea and the mountains are very beautiful."

Transport leaders said nearly 8,000 buses of 85 companies will come and go in Cox's Bazar till Sunday.

Most of these buses have advance ticket booking. Special trains will also run on the occasion of Durga Puja on the Dhaka-Cox's Bazar railway. But there are no vacant seats either.

Cox's Bazar Restaurant Owners Association general secretary Rashedul Islam Dalim said, "We have about three and a half hundred restaurants. After a long time all the restaurants are open and doing business. Many restaurants were closed due to the recession."

Abul Kashem Sikdar, president of the Cox's Bazar Hotel-Motel Owners Association, has advised the tourists who want to come from Saturday to Sunday to book rooms online.

He said already from Friday to Sunday, rooms have been booked in all star and medium hotels and motels. Some resorts, guest houses and cottages have rooms available but will be booked by tomorrow.

"As a result, we encourage online room booking so that tourists do not suffer."

Al Asad Muhammad Mahfuzul Islam, superintendent of police at Tourist Police in Cox's Bazar, said, "We have army members with us to provide security to tourists. We are working to ensure security through IT. Patrols will continue at all times."

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Salahuddin said that the highest number of tourists is coming here on this holiday this season.

All preparations have been completed for the overall security of tourists. Several mobile courts led by executive magistrate have been deployed to prevent any harassment of tourists.

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