The beach town of Cox's Bazar is now buzzing with a stream of tourists before the peak tourism season comes to an end.
The holidaymakers are happy, saying that they are having good time in the sandy beaches. Most of them, however, have been seen flouting the Covid-19 protocols amid the ongoing pandemic.
Shafiqul Islam, who came to visit Cox's Bazar from Thakurgaon said, "I'm enjoying my holidays here. The winter is gone. And so the rising temperature is making us uncomfortable to some extent."
The climate of Cox's Bazar is mostly tropical. So, it gets very hot during most of the year. Tourists usually visit the beach town in winter. Last year, many people could not visit Cox's Bazar due to Covid restrictions. But this year the tourists are thronging the sandy beaches in sizeable numbers.
Shamim, who came with his family, said, "We were supposed to visit Cox's Bazar at the beginning of the year but we could not do so fearing coronavirus infection. Since positive cases are lowering, we are here."
Hoteliers said the rooms are getting booked as soon as they become empty, and they expect more tourists throughout the month of February.
Abul Kashem Sikder, general secretary of Cox's Bazar Hotel-Motel Owners Association, said, "Around 75 per cent of the rooms in more than 450 hotels, motels and guesthouses in the city have already been booked in advance." "The beach town has become crowded since February 14," he added.
Tourist police and lifeguards are having a hard time managing large crowds.
Tourist Police Cox's Bazar Zone Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mohiuddin Ahmed said, "We have set several warnings for the tourists." "Tourist police have been deployed at various important points of the beach town," he added.
Sometimes, pleasure time turns into tragedy as tourists often violate warnings and take a bath in dangerous spots and at prohibited times in the world's longest coastal beach, Cox's Bazar.
So, lifeguards are advised to follow the rules of sea bathing as the sea is rough nowadays.
Omar Farooq, C Safe Life Guard in-charge, said, "The season has changed and the sea waves are also increasing. Now tourists need to take bathing as per the rules. It is safe to take a bath, especially where there are flags and lifeguards are on duty."
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