With the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, Cox’s Bazar—one of the country’s leading tourist destinations—has taken on a noticeably different character.
The city, usually vibrant with tourists’ footsteps throughout the year, now appears comparatively quiet.
Hotels, motels, restaurants, shopping centres, and entertainment spots no longer echo with their usual bustle.
On regular holidays, the seaside and major roads remain crowded with visitors.
During Ramadan, however, the scene changes dramatically. With fewer tourists arriving, business activities have slowed.
Many local business owners said their income typically declines during the month due to fewer visitors.
At the same time, a significant portion of the city’s residents are devoting more time to prayers and religious observance.
Mosques have become lively with five daily congregational prayers, Tarawih, and religious discussions, creating a deeply spiritual atmosphere.
While daytime activity remains subdued, the streets and neighbourhood lanes grow animated around iftar and Tarawih with worshippers heading to mosques.
A pedestrian named Arif said that although Cox’s Bazar remains crowded throughout most of the year, the city feels far less congested during Ramadan.
“It is easier to move around, and the environment feels calmer,” he noted.
While the drop in tourist numbers affects businesses, Hasan, another resident, acknowledges that Ramadan offers an opportunity to concentrate more on worship.
“The number of people going to mosques has increased, which is a positive aspect,” he said.
Locals observe that, compared to other times of the year, Ramadan envelops Cox’s Bazar in a peaceful, serene atmosphere.
The absence of the usual noise allows families to spend more time together in worship and self-reflection.
Overall, during Ramadan, Cox’s Bazar takes on a quiet, spiritual, restrained character—distinct from the vibrant pace that defines the city for the rest of the year.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Mohammad Morshed
