Cox’s Bazar has witnessed a massive influx of tourists during the three-day consecutive holiday including Christmas.
The huge number of visitors has caused severe traffic congestion on the Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar highway as well as internal roads of the town. With most hotels and motels fully booked in advance, many tourists are struggling to find accommodation and are seen roaming the streets with their luggage.
Tourist spots across the city, including the sea beach and surrounding areas, are packed with visitors. To ensure safety and prevent harassment, special measures have been taken by the Tourist Police and the district administration.
Thursday was a public holiday for Christmas, followed by the regular weekly holidays on Friday and Saturday, creating a long three-day break. Additionally, as December marks the end of academic examinations, many families, friends, and groups have taken the opportunity to travel to the scenic coastal city known for its unique blend of sea and hills.
From Thursday morning, tourists started arriving in Cox’s Bazar by road, rail, and air. Before noon, all major beach points became crowded. The overwhelming number of incoming vehicles resulted in traffic congestion on highways and city roads.
Officer-in-Charge of Ramu Crossing Highway Police Station, Nasir Uddin, said that continuous arrival of tourist vehicles has caused traffic jams since Thursday morning. However, police are making efforts to minimize inconvenience for visitors.
Apart from Cox’s Bazar sea beach, tourists are also visiting nearby attractions such as Inani, Himchhari, Ramu, Daria Nagar, and Saint Martin’s Island.
At Sugandha Point, visitors Subash Chandra, Rammohan, and Moumita from Narayanganj said they could not visit Cox’s Bazar earlier due to business commitments. As their children’s exams have ended, three families traveled together for a three-day vacation and expressed their joy after reaching the beach.
Two friends, Mofizul Islam and Mahbub Hossain from Pirganj in Rangpur, said that despite the long and tiring journey, all exhaustion disappeared once they stepped onto the beach and saw the waves and blue waters.
Mahua Khandakar from Muradnagar, Cumilla, said she came with her family after her child’s exams but faced difficulties in finding a hotel room. However, she added that the beauty of the beach made everything worthwhile.
Visitors Shahidul Islam, Mahbub Rokon, and Babu Das from Manikganj said they failed to find any accommodation despite repeated attempts and had been roaming outside since morning with their families. They admitted they were unaware of the need to book rooms in advance and were unsure where they would spend the night.
GM of Hotel Prasad Paradise, Yakub Ali, said all rooms had been booked well in advance and they were unable to accommodate additional tourists, though they were assisting visitors in other ways.
GM of Hotel Cox Today, Abu Taleb Shah, said their hotel is fully booked until January 15, and many tourists are being turned away due to lack of rooms.
President of Cox’s Bazar Hotel, Motel and Guest House Owners Association, Abul Kashem Sikder, said hotel owners are enjoying good business with strong bookings until January. However, he expressed uncertainty about business conditions in February due to the upcoming election.
CCF lifeguard Osman Gani said lifeguards are providing services at three beach points but many tourists ignore safety instructions after entering the water, which sometimes leads to accidents.
Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md. A. Mannan said executive magistrate teams have been deployed at the beach and nearby areas to ensure tourists are not harassed. Immediate action is being taken upon receiving any complaints.
Tourist Police Cox’s Bazar Region Chief, Additional DIG Md. Apel Mahmud, said special security measures have been implemented due to the massive tourist turnout. A three-layer security system along with quick response teams has been put in place, with particular attention to preventing snatching and harassment. Overall, a robust security arrangement has been ensured across Cox’s Bazar beach.
