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Millions of visitors flock to beach ignoring health rules


Published : 01 Jan 2021 08:58 PM | Updated : 07 Mar 2021 06:14 PM

Ignoring the Corona epidemic, millions of tourists flocked to welcome new year 2021 and bid adieu to 2020 at world’s longest sea beach in Cox's Bazar on Thursday without following any protective measures. 

The presence of visitors was more noticeable on the last day of the year as the new year started with weekend on Friday creating scope for people to enjoy a three-day holiday.  

Many tourists arrived earlier and stayed in various residential hotels in Cox's Bazar. Even from a week ago, more than 500 hotels, motels and guest houses in Cox's Bazar were all booked. They came to witness the departure of the pandemic-stricken year at the dew-drenched sand dunes. At the moment of the last sunset of the year the curtain of the old year fell before their eyes. They were wandering around with the indomitable conviction of waking up to corona free new year.

However, law enforcement agencies had taken security measures at several levels to ensure compliance with hygiene rules and safety of the tourists all over the district. Unlike every year there were no arrangement to hold any festival on the beach marking the occasion and all open events, including lighting fireworks had also been banned due to the corona situation.

Tourists coming from Chattogram Rafiq Al Islam, Kulsum Khatun and Miriam Begum said, as the schools and colleges were closed due to corona pandemic, we came to the beach with our family members to enjoy the last sunset of the year.

Hira, Rani and Mary, tourists coming from capital’s Gopibagh, said they had been under house arrest for a long time and were getting depressed. So they rushed to Cox's Bazar to welcome the new year and bid adieu to the old one. However, they were a little bit disappointed to see that there were no special arrangements made at the hotels to marking the arrival of year 2021.

Sheikh Farid and Rahima Afroz coming from Dumuria said, “We thought there would be a party at Cox's Bazar beach on the occasion of New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, there was no such arrangements due to the corona situation”.

Another tourist comming from Balaganj in Sylhet Rafiqul Islam wished for the evil forces of Corona to be defeated by the good forces of peace. He also expressed his hopes that the new year will bring a message of peace for all.

Raihan and Marjia, a couple from Sylhet also expresses a similar wish saying, “May the new year bring a corona-free Bangladesh and a corona-free world”.

Cox's Bazar Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohammad Hasanuzzaman said tourist spots, including beaches, were covered with extensive security measures. 

The control room, medical team, uniformed police and quick response team were all deployed around the clock, said SP Md. Zillur Rahman of tourist police.

Deputy Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar Md. Kamal Hossain said he is expecting to see a new world in the new year after saying goodbye to the old year. Measures had been taken at all points so that tourists follow the hygiene rules, he added.

General Secretary of the Cox's Bazar Hotel Owners Association Abdul Qayyum said there were no special event at any hotel in Cox's Bazar on the occasion of the Thirty First Night this year. The hotel owners were left in a helpless condition during the Corona lockdown. The biggest challenge for them at the moment is to keep the business running rather than make a profit, he added.

President of the Hotel Motel Guest House Owners Association Alhaj Omor Sultan said bookings at many hotels have been good this time around, but still the business was relatively less.

General Secretary of the Hotel Officers Association Kalim Ullah said, "We are working to provide discontinued services to the tourists. The hotel authorities are repeatedly asking the guests to comply with hygiene rules. Even then, many tourists are wandering around the beach without a mask on their face”.

Chittagong Range DIG Mohammad Anwar Hossain himself visited various tourist spots including the beach and told the media that this time there were no special programmes allowed to hold in the entire Chattogram division on the occasion. As the country is fighting the second wave of corona now everyone needs to be aware.

Read More: Green activists become active to save Cox’s Bazar beach, Kohelia river