On this occasion, the entire tourist town and its surroundings have blended in with the
colour of spring and love. Along with the tourists, the locals also joined merrymaking on the beach.
Since morning, tourist traffic started increasing at Sugandha, Labani and Kalatali points of the beach.
Hundreds of thousands of tourists flocked to the beach to spend special moments with their loved ones.
Tour operators expressed their happiness with the increased flow of visitors on the sea beach. According to the information given by the tourism sector insiders, hundreds of thousands of tourists have come to Cox's Bazar to enjoy the blue waters of the sea and the beauty of nature on the first day of spring and Valentine's Day.
Some with their loved ones, some with their parents and some with their dear friends have rushed to the tourist town.
Spending time sitting on the sandy beach, bathing in the sea, standing next to loved ones in the afternoon and watching the sunset- all the favourite moments were captured with the colours of love and happiness.
Sabina Akhter, who came from Dinajpur, said, "I came to Cox's Bazar to celebrate Valentine's Day with my husband. This is the first time we have come here after marriage. The environment and climate here are very charming."
Hasan Ali, a tourist from Dhaka, said, "Every year in the winter season, my almost all friends come to the beach. But there are many who cannot come to Cox's Bazar due to busy schedule. So on such special days, at least I came to soak my feet in the soft sand and brackish water of the beach. The colour of love is all around. It feels really good.
"Mizanur Rahman from Uttara, Dhaka, said, "Today is Valentine's Day and the first day of spring. But this day is more special for us. Because we got married on this day four years ago. So spending time with loved ones in a special place on a special day is really a different feeling for me. It feels really romantic."
On Valentine's Day, spending time with loved ones, chatting and walking around are really very happy things, he observed.
"And if the place is as beautiful as this beach, then you can understand how the feeling will be," said Abdullah Al Mamun, a tourist from Savar, Dhaka.
Meanwhile, centring Valentine's Day and Pahela Falgun, more than 400 hotels-motels and guest houses in Cox's Bazar are facing extra pressure of customers.
More than 85 per cent rooms in all hotels had already been booked. Some hotels have special arrangements for tourists with 30 per cent discount on this day.
Zainal Abedin, director of Hotel Royal Beach Resort, said, "Special discounts have been arranged for tourists. Besides, we are sincerely trying to ensure 100 per cent satisfactory service to the tourists."
Abu Taleb Shah, manager of Hotel Cox Today, said, "There is a good response this time on the occasion of Valentine's Day. We have various preparations to provide additional services to tourists. Hopefully the tourists will be able to return with some pleasant and good memories of the trip."
Additional Superintendent of Police of Cox's Bazar district Rafiqul Islam said that surveillance has been increased at some important places in the city to avoid any untoward incident.
In addition, plainclothes police personnel are working to ensure security of tourists and local people in the surrounding areas including the beach.
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