Eid holiday crowds fill beach as tourists flock to Cox's Bazar

Cox's Bazar has witnessed a surge of tourists during the Eid-ul-Adha holidays, with crowds continuing to gather along the country's premier tourist destination.

Since Eid day on Thursday (28 May), visitors from across the country have been arriving at the sea beach in large numbers.

Today (31 May), heavy crowds were seen from morning to noon at Laboni, Sea Gull, Sugandha and Kolatoli points, as tourists enjoyed the beach and the Bay of Bengal's blue waters.

The atmosphere became more pleasant after rain early in the day eased the warm weather experienced during the first few days of Eid.

Tourists were seen bathing in the sea, relaxing on the beach and taking photographs while enjoying various recreational activities, including horse riding and beach bike rides.

Zainal Abedin Bhutto, a senior lifeguard with the Sea-Safe Lifeguard Organisation, said more than 200,000 tourists visited different points of the beach between this morning and noon alone.

He said tourist numbers were comparatively lower on Eid day but began increasing from the following day, with today recording the highest turnout so far.

Most visitors took part in sea bathing, while lifeguards remained on maximum alert to ensure safety.

"As a result, no untoward incident occurred at the beach in the four days," he said.

Abul Kashem Sikder, president of the Cox's Bazar Hotel-Motel Owners' Association, estimated that around 400,000 tourists visited Cox's Bazar during the first four days of the Eid holiday.

He said approximately 95% of rooms in more than 500 hotels, motels, guesthouses, cottages and resorts in the town had remained booked during the period.

Many tourists said the beach offered a welcome break from busy urban life.

Kavirul Anwar, who travelled from Dhaka, said, "The sea seems to be the name of a magical bond. Every time I come here, my heart is filled."

Another tourist, Anabil Haque, said he had travelled to Cox's Bazar with his family during the holiday to spend time in nature.

"The roaring sea, cool breeze and pleasant weather make the trip enjoyable," he said.

Lutfa Begum said she particularly enjoyed horse riding on the beach and playing in the water, while Wasif Kabir said the cool seaside environment had provided relief from the heat.

To ensure visitor safety, Tourist Police have deployed personnel at Laboni, Sugandha and Kolatoli points. Sub-Inspector Monirul Islam said special tourist squads, quick response teams, mobile teams and standby units were working throughout the holiday period.

He said all units had been kept ready to respond immediately to any emergency situation.

The influx of tourists has also boosted local business activity. Abdus Shukkur, president of the Cox's Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said hotels, restaurants, transport operators, shopping centres and other businesses were benefiting from the increased visitor numbers.

He estimated that tourism-related transactions during the Eid holiday could reach Tk700 crore.

Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md A Mannan said mobile courts were operating to prevent overcharging for hotel rooms and food. He warned that immediate action would be taken if any allegations of irregularities were proven.