A week of heavy rainfall and adverse weather has left Cox’s Bazar, the country’s premier beach destination, almost devoid of tourists, dealing a severe blow to hotels, resorts, and hundreds of small tourism-dependent businesses.
A visit to the Laboni, Sugandha, and Kolatoli beaches found the shorelines largely deserted amid persistent rain. Although a handful of tourists visited the beach, most returned to their hotels shortly after arrival due to inclement weather.
Most shops along the beach remained closed, while those that stayed open saw almost no customers.
Businesses that rely on tourism—including snack vendors, beach chair and umbrella rentals, beach bike operators and horse rides—have virtually come to a standstill.
Tourist Rohan said continuous rainfall had kept his family confined to their hotel.
“We came to the beach for a short while at my family’s request, but the weather forced us to return quickly,” he said.
Beach chair and umbrella rental operator Mohammad Hafiz said his chairs remained vacant throughout the day.
“A few tourists came, but they left quickly because of the rain. We had virtually no business,” he said.
Beach bike operator Hafiz Uddin echoed the same concern, saying the prolonged bad weather and the earlier Local Cautionary Signal No. 3 at the seaport had kept tourists away, leaving many operators with almost no income for several days.
Abul Kashem Sikder, president of the Cox’s Bazar Hotel, Motel and Guest House Owners’ Association, said train services on the Dhaka–Cox’s Bazar route had been suspended because of the adverse weather.
Road travel has also been disrupted by waterlogging and traffic congestion on several sections of the highway.
He said around 50,000 room bookings at more than 500 hotels, motels and resorts across the district had been cancelled over the past four days.
He added that although approximately 10,000 tourists are still in Cox’s Bazar, many have shortened their trips and returned home earlier than planned.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Hussain Shetu
