The deaths of five tourists at Himchari on 21 October expose a failure in beach safety. Visitors from Dhaka and Chattogram were caught in strong currents; attempts to save a companion put others in danger. Blaming tourists’ lack of awareness cannot discharge the authorities’ responsibility.
The January 2025 Development Factsheet Cox’s Bazar estimates that the district receives more than four million tourists annually. Safe bathing, rescue services and emergency treatment are basic requirements for a destination of this scale. Tourism promotion cannot keep expanding while protection remains uncertain.
According to SeaSafe figures reported by Dainik Cox’s Bazar, drowning deaths numbered 12 in 2024, 20 in 2025 and eight through September 2026. Between 2015 and September 2026, 80 people died and 1,077 were rescued alive. Those rescues demonstrate the importance of trained personnel. Records should distinguish tourists from residents and identify incident locations.
Not every scenic stretch of coast is suitable for bathing. Estuaries, shifting sandbars and rip currents present hazards unfamiliar to visitors. Regular assessments must determine designated bathing areas and operating hours, with restrictions adjusted to conditions. Clear Bengali and English signs, flags and announcements should explain them. Appropriate lifejacket guidance should reflect the activity and risk; wearing one must never justify entering prohibited waters.
Permanent lifeguard teams should be staffed according to risk, visitor numbers, coverage and shift requirements. They need observation towers, suitable rescue craft, communications equipment and first aid facilities. Responsibilities among the administration, Coast Guard, Fire Service and hospitals must be explicit.
Resorts offering guests access to sea bathing should contribute funding and trained support staff. Neighbouring businesses could jointly finance a supervised bathing area. Recognised lifeguard providers should manage training and rescue operations under a designated public authority. Lifeguards must have operational authority to suspend bathing when conditions deteriorate, without commercial interference. Protection must extend to all visitors; funding must confer no exclusive beach rights. The administration must also cover popular beaches without resorts.
Once safe alternatives and clear warnings exist, authorised officials should enforce lawful penalties for deliberate violations. Published procedures, receipts and accessible complaints mechanisms are essential. Officials neglecting their duties must also answer for failures.
The state must turn tourism earnings and tax collection into visible safety investment. Publish patrol coverage, closures and emergency response arrangements. Effective governance anticipates human error. Expressions of grief after preventable deaths cannot substitute for it.
By Salam Abu
Photo: Courtesy
