From Cox’s Bazaar: Country’s stream of tourists is now heading towards Cox’s Bazaar. Cox's Bazaar, the top tourist spot in Bangladesh, has been hit by a tidal wave in the face of a five-month stalemate. Everyone is running towards the blue water of the sea, overcoming the fear of Corona.
To prevent corona infection, entry to all tourist destinations in the country has been banned since March 18. Cox's Bazaar, the world's longest beach, is also on the list. As a result, the noise-free beach has 'restarted' in five months. But images from the past week and two days of on-the-spot observation say a group of drunken tourists have broken the green carpet of the beach state's serene silence.
It is to be mentioned here that the first corona outbreak was detected in Bangladesh on March 8. That coronavirus has spread globally and has reached Bangladesh. The chain of corona could not be broken through lockdown and home quarantine, but increased by leaps and bounds. The total number of deaths in Corona in the country is 3,399. The total number of infected is 2 lakh 57 thousand 600 people.
On Saturday afternoon, a large number of vehicles were seen rushing along the highway like speed of corona. All the cars are passing by with a whistling sound. During the corona period, the silent seashore has become loud again. But the thing remains, everything is happening by disobeying government instructions! Meanwhile, the administration said a monitoring team will be formed in the next couple of days.
During the last two days of Cox's Bazaar on August 8 and 9, it was seen that the visitors had gathered before the scheduled time to open the beach. Many people are not paying attention to the instructions to follow the hygiene rules. Tourists are descending into the sea even without following the tidal rules. It goes without saying that the police and lifeguards are not active on the beach. There are fears that major accidents could happen at any time.
The local administration said they are taking the matter seriously. Asked about this, Cox's Bazaar Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Kamal Hossain told reporters at his office on Sunday, it was decided at a meeting of the District Corona Prevention Committee that the beach will be reopened on a limited scale after August 17 in accordance with hygiene rules. Although many have crowded we did not want to impose laws on the local people, we wanted to motivate them. If we do not follow the instructions after the 17th, we will enforce the law by raiding hotels and motels, he said, adding that an initiative has been taken to distribute 500,000 masks in August to create corona awareness. He also said that regular mobile courts will be conducted.
Incidentally, the first corona was identified in Bangladesh in the second week of March. Then the government had announced the closure of all educational institutions. Suddenly, after getting a holiday, tourists started coming to the beach in groups although the tourists are banned from traveling to the beach in a few steps to avoid further infection. The administration had declared all hotels and motels in Cox's Bazaar, including other tourist destinations in the country, completely closed. As a result, this seashore went back to its own rhythm. But Bengalis are not afraid of five-month-old coronavirus. On Sunday (August 9) at noon, while the Additional Director General of the Department of Health, Prof. Dr. Nasima Sultana was reading in the regular health bulletin from Mohakhali, 34 people have died of coronavirus in the last 24 hours and 2487 people got newly infected.
During the Corona period, Cox's Bazaar is facing financial losses from hotel owners to various traders. With that in mind, the district administration announced a limited opening of tourist centers and residential hotels in Cox's Bazaar on August 17 after a long hiatus. The decision was taken at a virtual meeting of the Coronavirus Infection Prevention Committee held on August 5. Since the announcement, tourists have started arriving at Cox's Bazaar beach ahead of the scheduled opening time. Most of the hotels also evade the administration and have rented hotels to tourists.
Abu Naeem Muhammad Harun, director of Hotel Bay Mariner, told reporters, we will follow the guidelines of the district administration. Our main consideration is to keep 100% of the tourists safe. We will properly disinfect the hotel and welcome new tourists. Publicity is needed to ensure that no tourist arrives before 17th August. We are not accepting guests before 17th August as per the instructions of the government because health security is more important than business.
As soon as I got out of the car on Saturday, I walked towards the hotel thinking aimlessly. Hotel owners are waiting for guests like crows. Introducing me as journalist, even with a slight frown, there was no problem in getting a room in the hotel. As soon as I left the hotel and set foot in the tamarisk forest on the sea shore, I heard the sound of the salty wind. But as I approached, I noticed the noise of the crowd. Youths’ team is playing football. Sea shore has become noisy again? The question is, how healthy is it to come and see the calm waves of the enchanting lonely sea at this time?
While the whole country is in frenzy over the number of people killed and infected by corona, tourists are flocking to Cox's Bazaar. There are many tourists who are not worried at all. Similarly, a group of tourists from Savar in Dhaka was seen. During the video interview with the reporter, the six were seen huddled together, saying, actually, we were able to reunite after a long time. I could not hold the emotions of the mind. Pray for us so that we don't have corona.
Just what? No, people from all over the country including Cumilla, Sylhet, Chatttogram are coming to visit the sea shore. Has human violence started again? What is the game of awakening after breaking the veil? It is natural to think that this is the way to break the silence of hotels and motels because in a secluded, noise-free environment, it is difficult to control the greed to ignore the balance and beauty in the enchanted nature. Is the hotel motel properly prepared to prevent the contagious virus?
Saturday's beach was crowded. Most of them did not show any signs of obedience to hygiene. When people all over the world are terrified by the terrible touch of the deadly virus corona, it is not the terrifying form, but the amazing view of nature that is becoming absolutely adorable. How much security is there on the beach? Cox's Bazaar Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Kamal Hossain said, those who are working with life guards are far less than the demand. The awareness of the tourists is also important. Those who are coming to Cox's Bazaar from so far, they will surely understand the ebb and flow of the tide, they will be aware of the possible dangers, they will also cooperate with us.
A few people have come to Cox's Bazaar after being released from a five-month prisoner in Chattogram's four walls. Talking to the reporter it seems that in the intense heat of ‘Sraban’ the destination has been decided for a few days on this beach. Stayed with Eid-ul-Azha retirement! Again, many people have come to Cox's Bazaar for professional work. Similarly, two journalists Mohsin Ul Hakim, a senior journalist of a private TV channel in Dhaka and Partho Pratim Nandi, a journalist in charge of an online portal in Chattogram. It has been seen that they are doing professional work according to the hygiene rules.
Many locals said the beach has been running on its own for the past five months. In the morning, in the shade of the trees, the chirping of birds could be heard, and the fearless dolphins and dolphins returned to the beach. As the patrol of the people stopped, many turtles made their presence known by boiling water and raising their throats. But the frenzy and commotion of the last one week seems to have brought back the old Cox's Bazaar.
On Sunday (August 9), the west side of the sky was transformed into a sunset in the evening just before sunset. Silence descended on the secluded beach in the magical indescribable light. Some couples were seen to be stuck in it! In the torrential rain of ‘Sraban’s, it is as if Tagore’s ‘Shesher Kabita' is saying to each other-
Yes, this is how the beach nuisance continues to grow, ignoring the corona's poisonous claws. As a result, standing on the world's largest beach, the question that comes to mind first is - how ready is Cox's Bazaar for the 'new normal' life of the world that has changed during the corona? What will the beach look like after August 17? Leaving it for a week, corona is throwing a counter-challenge like Sea daughter Cox's Bazaar! Although the nuisance of tourists is increasing on the lonely sandy beach, the fear of corona is blowing away the tumult on the seashore.