With its panoramic sea front, Kuakata is a new but popular destination in the tourist map of the country. Situated at the southern tip, about 350 motorway kilometres from Dhaka, it is an enriched site blended with natural, cultural and historical treasures which have the potential to become a very popular destination for local and foreign tourists. However, with no practical initiative in sight, both in terms of infrastructure development or in hospitality services, Kuakata today is nothing short of a horrible experience.
Much before it came to limelight some decades ago, Kuakata had been a sleepy fishing village on the edge of the Bay of Bengal. Mainly populated by some Rakhine tribal families, the village was always a secluded one. It came to touristic forefront following its discovery as the unique place to offer views of both sun-rise and sun-set. Alongside, the discovery of sanctuaries of red crab and migratory wild birds also became added attractions. With that, local tourism grew rapidly that stimulated a reckless development of makeshift hotels, restaurants and shops.
Though some accommodation facilities have come up in the recent years, most of those have great deficiencies in quality and services. There is in fact no regulatory body to oversee the quality of accommodation and services and thus the visitors are denied the basic comfort.
The biggest challenge for visiting Kuakata is the communication facility. Though road network from Barisal and Patuakhali has improved a lot over the years, there is a great lack of dependable transportation facilities. Private buses from those places are in deplorable condition. Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) operates few buses on the route but those are in their worst conditions.
In Kuakata itself, one would hardly get a convenient place to have hygienic food or snacks. There is also a lack of proper and emergency medical treatment if need arises.
Despite the hype created for Kuakata being a vibrant tourist destination, there is truly a big gap. Expectations of the visitors coming even from faraway places like Dinajpur or Sylhet or Mymensingh are marred by the lack of facilities. Besides the lack of convenient accommodation, there is a great lack of proper touristic advice or direction. There is no formal tourist guide service. Hundreds of local youths use their motorbikes to take visitors to the beach or the Rakhine village or the crab sanctuaries.
It is much expected that the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, national tourism organisation, would play a dominant role in commanding this impeccable tourist destination. It has only built a reasonably good accommodation facility but the story ends there. The Corporation and the concerned authorities should immediately take up an action plan to develop Kuakata as a sound tourist destination.
Truly, Kuakata has a lot of potential to graduate as a favourable tourist destination. With its wide sandy beach, gentle waves and thick stretch of mangrove plantations, it has the perfect set-up to be a matchless repository of serenity and tranquillity. It just needs a thoughtful approach of not letting it develop in a reckless way like that in Cox's Bazar. Kuakata is a paradise that should not be lost. Otherwise, the "sagar konya" (daughter of the sea), as it is known, will only be left to weep in rhythm with the spiralling waves of the Bay!
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