Cox’s Bazar tourism is bearing the brunt of the recent violence and the subsequent curfew imposed across the country as the tourist city wears a deserted look due to the volatile situation.
The tourism entrepreneurs in Cox’s Bazar and those related to this industry are suffering losses amounting to around Tk 12 crore per day on average, according to industry insiders.
Sources at Cox’s Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industry said businessmen already suffered loss of staggering Tk 250 crore. Adverse weather has also worsened the situation in the tourist district.
Cox’ Bazar sea beach, the largest in the world, teems with tourists round the year but currently, it sees almost no tourists due to the ongoing situation and the curfew, the sources added.
Hotels and motels in the tourist town now remains empty since the mayhem started over the students’ quota movement. The tourism entrepreneurs are worried over this situation.
Photographer Rafiq Ullah, who takes pictures of tourists at Cox’s Bazar beach as a means of his livelihood, said he cannot take a single picture for over a week. “Now I find it hard to maintain my family.”
Abul Kashem, a hawker who sells peanut in the beach, said he comes to the beach every day, but there is no sale. “Some locals come to the beach and I sell peanut to them. Now I can earn only Tk 100 to Tk 150 per day. I cannot bear my family expenses with the pittance.’
Photographers, jet-ski drivers, quad bike drivers and those, who entertain tourists with horse rides are passing hard time. Kitkot chairs are lying empty in the sea beach.
Nurul Amin, who looks after 20 kitkot chairs, said that there is no customer for the last one week.
Kalim Ullah, President of the Hotel Officers Association, said currently, there is no people in the hotels. “No tourists are seen in Cox’s Bazar right now,” he added.
Selim Newaz, General Secretary of Cox’ Bazar Hotel Motel Guest House Owners Association, said there is no tourists in more than five hundred hotels and motels of Cox’s Bazar town. But we have to provide food to the hotel staff and count other costs necessary for maintaining the hotels. We are facing huge losses. Adverse weather is adding to our woes.
Abul Kashem Shiqdar, President of Hotel Motel Guest House Owners Association, said that the residential hotels in Cox’s Bazar are facing a loss of Tk 5 crore on average every day.
President of Cox’s Bazar Restaurant Owners Association, Naimul Haque Chowdhury Tutul, said there are almost 400 restaurants in Cox’ Bazar. They are facing a loss of Tk 2 crore on average every day.
Tofael Ahmed, president of Tour Operator Association of Cox’s Bazar (TOAC) under Tour Operator Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), said tourism businesses in Cox’s Bazar, excluding the hotel and restaurants, are facing a loss of Tk 5 crores every day. “We don’t know how to cover the loss.”
President of Cox’s Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Abu Murshed Chowdhury, said businessmen faced a loss of Tk 250 crore due to the recent violence over the quota reformation movement. If this situation prolongs, many businessmen will be bankrupt. The government needs to take measures on urgent basis to save Cox’s Bazar tourism.
Deputy Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar Mohammad Shaheen Imran said that they are trying to solve the problems by holding view-exchange meetings with the businessmen. He expressed the hope that everything will be normal very soon.
Everyone related to the tourism industry in Cox’ Bazar is waiting for the tourist city to spring to life again.
