Sunamganj tourism suffers Tk 0.5b loss for floods, ongoing unrest

SUNAMGANJ, Aug 11 (UNB): The tourism sector in Sunamganj has been severely impacted, incurring losses of approximately Tk 0.5 bllion (50 crore) due to a significant drop in visitors amid the ongoing situation and three devastating floods that struck the region.

During a recent visit, it was evident that the usual monsoon influx of tourists was absent. Typically, this time of year draws visitors eager to experience the breathtaking haor areas under the open blue skies. However, this year, popular spots such as Tanguar Haor, Niladri Lake, Lakma Chhara, Barika Tila, Jadukata River, Shimul Bagan, and Blue Fountain remained eerily empty.

Young entrepreneurs who invested heavily in building houseboats have been particularly hard-hit. Amit Roy, one such entrepreneur, shared his plight, "We built two houseboats, Mangal and Chi Mangal, in 2022 at a cost of Tk 4 million (40 lakh). We earned Tk 1.7 million (17 lakh) in the first season alone. Encouraged by this, we built a new houseboat, The Ark, in 2024. But this year, the floods have driven away tourists, leading to significant losses."

Amit further added that he is not alone in facing this financial strain. Many other entrepreneurs in the area are also struggling to stay afloat as tourist numbers plummet.

While the local administration had temporarily closed all tourist spots in mid-June due to the floods, these sites have since reopened as conditions improved. However, the damage had already been done. The countrywide curfew imposed during the previous government's tenure also discouraged travel, leaving nearly 400 houseboats docked idly at Shahebbari, Mallikpur, Launch Ghat, and Achintapur ghats along the Surma River.

In addition, many potential visitors cancelled their trips to Sunamganj, further exacerbating the economic downturn in the region.

Khairul Huda Chapal, President of the Sunamganj Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of Sunamganj Sadar Upazila, highlighted the gravity of the situation, saying, "It will take time to recover from the damage inflicted on the tourism sector. The three-phase floods and ongoing national turmoil have caused losses amounting to Tk 0.5 billion

(50 crore)."