The world’s longest natural sea beach in Cox’s Bazar has become unusually quiet during the holy month of Ramadan, with a sharp decline in tourist numbers despite attractive discounts offered by hotels and resorts.
At a time of year when the shoreline is typically teeming with tourists, the beach now stretches out in calm isolation — vast sandy expanses meeting the gentle murmur of waves under an open sky.
A recent visit to the beach revealed sparse crowds along the coastline. From Shaibal Point to Seagull Point, around 500 beach chairs had been set up, yet only three were occupied by roughly 10 tourists.
The overall atmosphere appeared even quieter than the usual off-season lull.
Only a handful of tourists, around 10 in total, were seen bathing in the sea.
However, the absence of large crowds has also led to a noticeable reduction in beggars and hawkers, something many visitors described as a relief.
The impact of the slowdown is evident across the hospitality sector. Of the nearly 500 hotels, resorts, guest houses, and cottages in the town, most rooms remain vacant. At the same time, around 400 restaurants have temporarily closed.
In an effort to attract visitors, hotel owners have announced special discounts of up to 60 per cent on room tariffs. According to industry insiders, rooms previously priced at Tk 1,000 are now available for as low as Tk 500.
Abul Kashem Sikder, president of the Cox’s Bazar Hotel Guest House Owners’ Association, said many establishments are utilising the Ramadan period to carry out renovation work. “Around 60 per cent of employees have been sent on one-month mandatory leave after receiving advance Eid salaries and bonuses,” he said.
Expressing optimism, he added that although tourist numbers typically decline during Ramadan, a significant influx of visitors is expected during the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holidays.
Tourism stakeholders noted that while a seasonal dip is common during Ramadan, this year’s response has been comparatively weaker despite the substantial discounts.
Nevertheless, they remain hopeful that the coastal resort town will regain its vibrancy as Eid approaches.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Courtesy
