Cox\\\'s Bazar is fast losing its attraction

Teeming with thousands of people-tourists composing the bulk of the crowd-the beach area unfolds a picture of Dhaka's Sadarghat, launch terminal i.e; rather than the once peaceful paradise-like retreat of Bangladesh. Sure enough, the nauseating tar-like water of the Buriganga, which causes instant revulsion to anyone confronting the lifeline of Bangladesh's capital, is absent here. But then the muddy water is in absolute contrast to the clear blue sea water elsewhere even at some distances from the Laboni or Sugandha points.
For hotels and restaurants of the beach area, though, the sight of crowd milling into the hot spot in their thousands is most satisfying. This year has been a bonanza year for all the service providers-hoteliers, restaurant keepers, transport operators, coffee houses and tea stalls. Even the curio shops are buzzing with interested tourists. Everyone of them got a hefty share of the tourist money. Some of the popular eateries there were having a tough time in meeting the demand of their customers. Diners had to wait even for more than an hour to occupy a table. Business was brisk in such places. Room occupancy for hotels of all shapes and sizes was at its highest because presumably record arrival of tourists marked this year's holiday season.
So heavy was the traffic on account of the tourist onrush in the last week of December that traffic police had to be deployed at Sugandha point for regulating traffic. Or else, crossing the road posed quite a risk. Traffic on the main road came to a halt, more often than not. So, chaos reigned supreme whereas, holiday spots should be free from such hustle and bustle.
This certainly is a boost in internal tourism and therefore indicative of two indices of life in the country. First it concerns acquisition of spare money for more people than before. Second, a sizeable section of people is fast getting into the habit of holidaying. Surely a development, calling for celebration. But then holidaying in such an awfully crowded place makes hardly any sense. Beach resorts ought to be clean, calm, quiet and carefree, providing enough privacy to the holidayers. Cox's Bazar qualifies as a tourist on neither of these counts. Even the nearest main thoroughfare to the beach area is so badly maintained that makes one wonder how people avoid accidents. The road is narrow but almost without any footpath on either side. Also most of the long-route buses stop within a kilometer or so and when they drop or pick up their passengers, it is indeed challenging to negotiate through the flow of traffic.
Tourists at holiday resorts are more likely to be carefree and languidly take a walk in order to enjoy the charms of the place. But here no such relief can be expected. All one needs is to keep the antenna hoisted all the time. So how things are at Cox's Bazar needs no elaboration. The beach is bursting at its seams. Tourists are overflowing on the busy roads. In short, several times more people than it can accommodate are competing for a small space.  Facilities are scanty and cosmopolitan culture is conspicuous by its stark absence.
Is the place then fast getting reduced to one like a holy site where millions come in the hope of making life better? A thought such as this is definitely not on people's mind but the sweeping mob culture at the beach is an eyesore to any beholder who has known the serene beauty of sea beaches elsewhere. Young and old people here feel elated if they can get a plunge or the wave surge carries them ashore from where they were standing. Some try to swim but most others get them on inflated rubber tyres but that experience is not very inviting for many, particularly in the muddy water.
If the facilities cannot be spread along the beach, Cox's Bazar will soon lose its charm. The long beach with the rising hills on one side has a unique charm but how it is presented and preserved matters. The hills still boast their pristine beauty in some places but the beaches at Cox's Bazar and Inani points leave much to be desired. No wonder, foreign tourists could not be sighted at all during the time.