Cox’s Bazar-based national English daily The Daily Cox’s Bazar Life was published for the first time on Tuesday, reaching readers across the district and drawing an enthusiastic response from people from different walks of life.
The newspaper, launched on September 1, is the first daily English newspaper based in Cox’s Bazar, where no English daily had previously been published.
Copies of the inaugural issue were distributed among officials of the district administration and people from different professions by Cox’s Bazar Life staff reporter Abdur Rashid Manik, reporter Mohammad Morshed and graphics artist Tarek Hasan.
Cox’s Bazar is home to a large number of foreign nationals because of its importance as a major tourism destination and its role in hosting the Rohingya refugee crisis. However, the district has long lacked an English-language newspaper catering to them and other English-speaking residents.
Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md A Mannan wished Cox’s Bazar Life success after receiving a copy of the inaugural issue.
Cox’s Bazar Development Authority chairman Engineer Mohammad Jasim Uddin said the district had long needed an English newspaper.
“Cox’s Bazar is one of the country’s most important cities for various reasons, but there was no English newspaper here. I hope Cox’s Bazar Life will fill this gap,” he said.
Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Mizanur Rahman read through the inaugural issue in detail and said there had been a significant shortage of English newspapers in Cox’s Bazar.
“Many foreign nationals live here because of the Rohingya crisis, but they had no local newspaper to read. I hope Cox’s Bazar Life will help fill this gap and move forward with greater strength and quality,” he said.
Superintendent of Police ANM Sajedur Rahman urged the newspaper to prioritise truth in its reporting.
“Truth must be given priority above everything else. If you face any obstacles in doing so, we will provide whatever support is required from the police,” he said.
Lawyer Jasim Uddin, a local reader, welcomed the launch, saying it was unfortunate that despite having many newspapers in Cox’s Bazar, the district did not have an English daily.
“I thank Cox’s Bazar Life for taking such an important and challenging initiative,” he said.
Copies of the inaugural issue were also distributed to the Cox’s Bazar District Council, district information office, election office, Cox’s Bazar Municipality, Cox’s Bazar Sadar Model Police Station, district judge’s court, chief judicial magistrate’s court, Cox’s Bazar District Bar Association, hotels and motels, the north and south forest divisions, and other important government and private offices across the district.
The launch marks a new addition to Cox’s Bazar’s local media landscape, with the newspaper aiming to provide English-language coverage of the district’s tourism, Rohingya crisis, development and other major issues.
Photo: Abdur Rashid Manik, Mohammad Morshed, and Courtesy
