A three-month tourism carnival will be held in Cox’s Bazar for the first time, scheduled to run from November 1 to January 31, 2027.
The Cox’s Bazar Tourism Carnival 2026 will feature daytime and nighttime entertainment for local and foreign tourists during the peak holiday season.
The Bangladesh Tourism Board announced this at a press conference at its Agargaon building on Wednesday. Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation is organising the carnival, which Spellbound Communications Limited will implement.
Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation chairman Mohammad Shamimuzzaman said the event was being organised to present Cox’s Bazar to foreign tourists in a new and distinctive way and attract more international tourists.
He said Cox’s Bazar receives increasing numbers of tourists throughout the year, but the number of foreign tourists has not grown significantly. One common complaint among tourists, he said, is the lack of entertainment options after evening beach activities.
The carnival will be held across the beach and wooded area of Hotel Shaibal.
The event will feature local and international food, live food stalls, barbecue, ice cream and juice corners. A market zone and craft village will showcase clothing, jewellery, pottery and handmade products by local artisans.
Tourists will also have access to sunrise yoga and meditation sessions, while a kids’ zone will offer art activities and safe rides.
The camping zone will include overnight camping, an open-air library, self-barbecue facilities, hammocks, campfires and telescopes for stargazing.
Other attractions will include live art, a photo gallery, an open-air cinema, a VR zone, a circus tent, kayaking, live busking, go-karting, beach football, handball, volleyball, kabaddi, badminton, and sand sculpture.
The carnival will also feature celebrations marking Victory Day, Christmas and the New Year.
A beach-view open theatre will offer programmes against the backdrop of the sea, including sunset experiences and musical performances.
Mohammad Gani-ul Azam, director of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, chaired the briefing and outlined the planned programmes.
Spellbound Communications chief executive officer Mohammad Sadekul Arefin also spoke at the event.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report
Photo: Courtesy
