Tourist hotspots overflow with crowds during five-day holiday

A continuous five day holiday for Sharodiya Durga Puja began yesterday. During this long break, a festive mood fills all tourist centers in the country, including hills, beaches, waterfalls and lakes. Every tourist center is overflowing with crowds. Every recreation center rings with the footsteps of tourists.

The tourism business has picked up well. Recreation centers have dressed in bright colors to attract travel lovers. Hotels, motels, rest houses and guest houses are busy everywhere. This long festival holiday will have a big positive effect not only on the hotel and restaurant business at tourist centers, but also on transport, small local traders and the rural economy.

But tourists suffer a lot in many areas because of the poor condition of roads and transport. Because of this, many people do not want to go to those areas. Those involved think the tourism business in those areas is badly hurt. Below is the report sent by our correspondents on the overall preparation of tourist centers across the country.

Mr. Shamsul Haque Sharek reports from Cox’s Bazar that the longest sea beach in the world rings with the footsteps of tourists because of the five day holiday for Durga Puja. Law enforcement agencies, the district administration and tourism service providers have made all preparations to handle this extra pressure of tourists. Aware people advise law enforcement agencies, the district administration and tourism related groups to stay alert, so that tourists can travel safely and without trouble. Keeping tourists safe on the beach, controlling traffic jams, stopping snatching and harassment, ending overcharging and keeping order at tourist centers can be big challenges at this time.

It is especially important to keep safe the tourists who go into the sea to bathe. Lifeguards must stay active, emergency rescue must be ready and tourists must stay aware. Authorities have also increased their watch on service standards at hotels, motels and restaurants. They check that food price lists are displayed and that no one cheats or harasses tourists.

Hotels, motels, restaurants, transport, small business, photography and many kinds of service work depend on Cox’s Bazar tourism. If more tourists come in the long holiday, traders in these sectors may earn more. But if people fail to ensure the comfort and safety of tourists, this chance may suffer. People involved in tourism say a higher number of tourists is not enough, and they must ensure a safe, comfortable and harassment free trip.

For this, besides the watch of the administration, hotel and motel owners, transport workers, restaurant traders and beach service providers need to act responsibly. Mr. Rafiqul Islam Selim reports from Chattogram that a festive mood fills the hills, beaches, waterfalls and lakes of the Chattogram region during the long holiday. Crowds keep overflowing at Patenga Sea Beach, the main tourist center of Chattogram. The once broken Patenga beach is now colorful, with large infrastructure development.

Visitors can walk along with the sea waves, and there are also places to sit and enjoy the clean sea breeze. The City Outer Ring Road has grown beside the wide beach. Sitting on the beach and the ring road, visitors can enjoy lines of local and foreign ships and colorful lights together. Next to it are Naval Beach and the boat club run by the Navy.

Both these centers are also packed with tourists. On the way from Patenga beach through the Outer Ring Road toward Kattali is DC Park. Walking around the flower fair at DC Park gives a different joy. Tourists keep crowding Kattali beach, through Rasmoni Ghat, up to Guliakhali beach in Sitakunda.

Parki beach in Anwara is now one of the top sights, and tourists crowd there too. A new tourist center has grown around the Outer Ring Road along the river, from Karnaphuli Bridge to Kaluraghat Bridge in the city. Travel lovers rush there and stroll in the Karnaphuli breeze with their families. Tourists also come in groups to Foy’s Lake Amusement Park, Bhatiary Golf Course, various parks and private garden house resorts in the city.

Some come with family members and some with friends. Crowds also keep coming to eco parks and waterfalls in Mirsarai, Sitakunda, Banshkhali and Rangunia of the district. Tourists also visit historic places in the city. These include Zia Memorial Museum, linked with the martyrdom of Shaheed President Mr. Ziaur Rahman, the Archaeological Museum in Agrabad, the Naval Museum beside the stadium and the War Cemetery on Badsha Miah Road.

People from all walks of life also crowd Sirishtala in CRB, the first tunnel of the country, Karnaphuli Tunnel, Karnaphuli Bridge, the hill surrounded Bayezid Link Road, Batali Hill, Jilapi Pahar, DC Hill and other parks. In greater Chattogram, tourists now come and go everywhere in Bandarban district. These places include Nilachal, Meghla Tourism Complex, the Golden Temple at Kulpara in Bandarban town, Shoilo Propat and Bomang Raja’s house. They also include Boga Lake, Nilgiri at four thousand feet above sea level in Thanchi upazila, Keokradong, one of the tallest peaks in Bangladesh, Nafakhum waterfall and Debotakum.

Business in hotels, motels, rest houses and transport has become very lively around the tourist areas. The centers made various arrangements, keeping in mind that crowds would rise in the long holiday. Along with Tourist Police, thana police also watch traffic jams on roads and the safety of tourists at recreation centers. This lets tourists move around in comfort.

Mr. Faisal Amin reports from Sylhet that travel lovers are eager to enjoy the beautiful scenery of nature in Sylhet. But the road links to the tourist centers are in very bad condition. Rail and air costs are out of reach. Even with money, getting a ticket is like finding a golden deer.

So the poor transport has hit the tourist areas. Those involved complain that Sylhet’s tourist centers did not get the expected number of tourists in the five day puja holiday. Mr. Asafur Rahman Kajal reports from Khulna that crowds are growing at tourist centers in the Khulna region during the five day holiday for Durga Puja. At the same time, the order to close 18 resorts in Dakop upazila near the Sundarbans and remove their structures has created uncertainty.

On the other hand, the poor state of several key roads, including the city entry, raises fear of trouble for travelers. The Sundarbans is one of the main tourist attractions of the Khulna region. This forest is the largest mangrove forest in the world and the home of the Royal Bengal Tiger, and it draws the interest of local and foreign tourists every year. Karamjal tourist center, Katka, Hiron Point and Dublar Char in the Sundarbans attract tourists specially.

Tourist spots and resorts around the Sundarbans are lively in the long holiday. Mr. Sadiq Mamun reports from Cumilla that the district has huge tourism potential. It has historic archaeological sites, Lalmai Mainamati hills, ponds and gardens, modern amusement parks in hill areas, and recreation spots, coffee shops and tea gatherings beside the Gomti River. But questions remain about road quality, traffic jams, communication and tourist friendly infrastructure at most of these spots.

News reports have come out many times about the poor state of the key road to the Kotbari Salban Vihara area, but repair gets no importance. With five days of puja holiday this time, people will rush to different recreation spots with their families. Cumilla’s sights and recreation centers include Salban Buddhist Vihara, Mainamati Museum, Nab Salban Vihara, Magic Paradise Park, Blue Water Park, Dino Park, Lalmai Lakeland, Fun Town, Dharmasagar, Nagar Udyan, Rupsagar Park and Rajeshpur Eco Park. Spots beside the Gomti include Gomti Torch, Gomti Bilash and the Jambari area.

There are also archaeological sites such as Itakhola Mura, Rupban Mura, Ananda Vihara and Kotila Mura. Some of these places are archaeological heritage, some are natural sights and some are commercial recreation centers. But weak communication to the major recreation centers and historic places blocks recreation lovers and local and foreign tourists who come from far away. Rajeshpur Eco Park in Cumilla Sadar South upazila is one of the nature based tourist spots of the district.

It has few public transport options, drug users gather in the forest area and people fear snatching. The middle and end parts of the road there are in very bad condition. Trouble in travel is sure if you go there. Mr. Md. Sadat Ullah reports from Bandarban that the three hill districts, including Bandarban, are ready to welcome tourists in the puja holiday.

Hotels, motels, resorts and guest houses in the three districts have already booked 60 percent of their rooms. Those linked with hotels, motels and tourist vehicles are busy at the last minute. The army, BGB, district administration, police and Tourist Police have strengthened special security to make the trip of tourists safe and joyful. Countless tourists flood Bandarban and the three hill districts every year during the Durga Puja holiday.

In this long holiday, all tourist centers of Bandarban ring with tourist footsteps. They include Meghla, Nilachal, Prantik Lake, Nilgiri, Nil Digonto and Boga Lake. Most hotels, motels, resorts and guest houses in the district have already been booked. Tourism traders are ready to serve tourists with new decoration.

Mr. Md. Jasim Uddin, general secretary of the Bandarban Hotel Resort Owners Association, said they have told all owners to decorate in a new style and raise security. He said everyone is making full preparations to welcome tourists accordingly. Mr. A M Mizanur Rahman Bullet reports from Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali that more than one lakh tourists and visitors are coming to Kuakata for the coming Durga Puja and Beach Carnival. Kuakata is the daughter of the sea and the beach of sunrise and sunset.

Residential hotels, motels and resorts have prepared to welcome a huge number of visitors. The Kuakata Residential Hotel Owners Association says 70 to 80 percent of rooms in first and second class hotels, motels and resorts have been booked in advance. To raise the number of tourists during Durga Puja and the carnival, the hotel owners association announced a 50 percent discount on room rent. The district administration, district police and Tourist Police have prepared separately to ensure the security of the huge number of visitors.

The Beach Carnival will have cultural programs with local artists and famous artists of the country, a beach marathon, beach football and many other events. District administration sources say Bangladesh Tourism Board, the district administration and the beach management committee will jointly organize the carnival.