31st night: Ban slapped on outdoor celebrations in Cox's Bazar

COX'S BAZAR, Dec 18: The local administration has imposed a ban on all forms of gathering and celebrations outdoors in Cox's Bazar marking the Holy Christmas and on the eve of the Happy New Year (2024).
Security will be tightened in the entire tourist town, especially the sea beach, to maintain law and order and proper traffic management centring the two major festivals.
Tourists in millions flock to Cox's Bazar to celebrate both Xmas and December 31st every year and this time also there will be no exception.
The authorities have declared restriction on singing and playing outdoors on the beach during the two festivals.
Arranging any musical programme and letting off fireworks have also been prohibited on the roofs of the hotels and buildings in the town.
Sources said the law enforces on the night of December 31st will remain watchful whether any kind of mass gathering or ceremony is held on the beach at that time that can disturb public security and peace.
Similarly, if any event is held indoors, permission from the administration must be taken.
Any person or organisation violating this ban will be prosecuted.
A team of divers will also be on the beach. Legal action will be taken if anyone is found driving under the influence of alcohol.
Additional DIG of Tourist Police Cox's Bazar Region Apple Mahmud confirmed this information on Monday afternoon.
He said to avoid any kind of disorder or untoward incident in the beach area, plainclothes detectives along with uniformed police personnel will also be deployed in tourist destination.
He said necessary action will be taken by testing the suspects so that no one can drive while intoxicated.
"Security search will be conducted as much as possible by setting up check posts on various roads. No militant group can carry out sabotage on this occasion. Strict action will be taken if anyone violates the rules," he warned.
Tourists in their millions have converged on at Sugandha Point, Labani Point and Kalatali Point of the beach amid the uneasy calmness of the prevailing political unrest for merrymaking.
While the tourist destination is experiencing the country's political unrest as usual, amid hartal and blockade, rooms in the hotels, motels and resorts of the beach area have been booked since December 10 in the run-up to the two major festivals.
Meanwhile, due to the arrival of a large number of tourists, many are complaining that unscrupulous traders are charging extra for hotel rooms, foods and vehicles.
The pressure of tourists has increased the busyness of the operators of water bikes, beach bikes, horse riders and photographers.
Ekram Ullah, a photographer of the beach, said that after a long time many tourists are meeting together on the beach. "We have not received any income for one and a half months. Business is getting better since December 10," he added.
Mohammed Osman, supervisor of the Sea-Safe Life Guard of the beach, said the beach has become busy with the arrival of millions of tourists for holidaymaking.
More than 500 hotels, motels and resorts in Cox's Bazar have been decorated in a new way to welcome tourists.

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