Cox’s Bazar’s tourism economy reaches beyond hotels, resorts and restaurants. Thousands sell goods and services on the beach, supporting families through work that tourism planning too often overlooks.
An estimated 5,000–7,000 mobile traders work across Laboni, Sugandha and Kolatoli. They include green coconut sellers, pickle and dried-fish vendors, beach-bike operators, photographers, beach-chair operators, shell handicraft sellers, Burmese goods hawkers, balloon and toy sellers, mobile tea and coffee vendors, horse-ride operators, henna artists, jet-ski operators, tube renters, garland sellers, cleaners, umbrella and hat vendors, sunglasses sellers, Baul singers and temporary announcers. Peak-season daily transactions are estimated at BDT 50 lakh to 1 crore.
Their contribution matters, as do visitors’ complaints. Field surveys indicate that nearly half of tourists are dissatisfied with aggressive selling. Persistent sales pitches, unclear prices and obstructed walkways spoil visits. Plastic waste and coconut husks burden the coastal environment.
Yet blaming vendors alone conceals their exploitation. A media report cited a Sugandha Point hawker’s allegation of paying BDT 90 in three daily instalments for security and permission to trade. Traders also described threats to their livelihoods if they spoke out. Tourist Police denied the allegations. An independent inquiry must establish responsibility and publish its findings within a deadline.
Extortion shrinks earnings and may intensify selling pressure. Rules against harassment must accompany action against those exploiting vendors.
Instead of blanket eviction, the district administration, relevant agencies and vendor representatives should designate walking and resting areas, regulated vending spaces and markets outside environmentally sensitive areas, within the beach’s carrying capacity. Fresh encroachment must be prevented.
Registration and photo identification with verifiable QR codes could help. Eligibility, allocation and renewal rules must be public. Every authorised payment needs a receipt; unauthorised collections must stop. Registration must not become another means of extracting money. Clear procedures should allow traders to challenge unfair decisions without risking their livelihoods.
Visible prices, conduct rules and accessible complaints channels are essential. Vendors reporting extortion need confidentiality, independent oversight, protection against retaliation and reporting routes outside implicated offices.
Regular waste removal could be supplemented by trials of coconut-husk composting and bottle deposit-return schemes. Training and a transparent welfare fund would support responsible trading and seasonal resilience. Children need education and family support; women vendors need protection from harassment. Financial hardship and dependence on existing livelihoods should inform allocations.
These measures require funding and sustained administration. A cleaner, better-managed beach depends on responsible vendors and accountable authorities.
By Salam Abu
Editor
