Sylhet tourist spots reopen at last

SYLHET, Aug 17: The tourist spots in Sylhet division have been reopened at last after remaining shut for long five months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The tourist sites are now resounding with movement of visitors giving a sign of change with reopening of the transport sector.
In the last two weeks, especially during Eid-ul-Azha celebration, there was a noticeable flow of visitors into the sites in Sylhet. But the number of customers checking in at the hotels was still insignificant.
Before the Covid-19 outbreak, several thousand visitors, mostly young from across the country, used to visit the locations almost every day.
On holidays, however, the numbers used to go up.
Alongside the tea gardens, the shrines of Hajrat Shahjalal (RA) and Hajrat Shahporan (RA) also saw large crowds of visitors.
However, the scenario changed with the government imposing restrictions over the Covid-19 crisis.
But visitors started coming to the tourist sites, said a number of hoteliers, as normalcy came back in different sectors after the transport sector received permission to operate vehicles on a limited scale for weeks.
The intercity trains to and from Sylhet were pressed into service again, on condition that hygiene rules must be maintained, taking limited number of passengers.
Contacted, Sumat Nuri Jewel, president of Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association, Sylhet, told this correspondent that the hotels and restaurants in the division have suffered about Tk20 million loss per day since mid-March when the tourism sector saw shutdown.
"As the government has reopened other sectors, we hope that there would be change in the tourism sector too," he said, adding, "We are ready to operate our businesses on a limited scale."
But still the response is very poor, Sumat Nuri said. People from other regions are yet to come although there have been changes, he added.
Meanwhile, the Power Development Board snapped power connections to some hotels last week for outstanding electricity bills.
Spots like Ratargul swamp forest, Jafflong, Sripur, Lalakhal, Pantumai, Bichhnakandi, Sadapathor and Madhabkunda draw a large number of crowds throughout the year.
But the numbers go up in the winter. On the other hand, the amusement parks like Dreamland Park and Sylhet Shishu Park also witness a good number of visitors on holidays.
'Well known places like Bisnakandi, Madhabkunda and Jafflong are always enjoyable," said Shamsul Haque, manager of a residential hotel in Sylhet.
Normally the two shrines draw the biggest numbers of visitors. Many people, however, come for visiting these only. However, now these will take much time to get back normalcy, he added.

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