On the occasion of the 31st night, the world’s longest sea beach, Cox’s Bazar, is preparing to welcome tourists. This year, tourism authorities are expecting more visitors than usual.
Hotel, motel, resort, guesthouse, and cottage owners have completed all preparations. Already, all rooms in over 500 hotels, motels, resorts, and guesthouses in the city are fully booked until next Saturday.
Meanwhile, the administration has taken all necessary security measures. However, there will be no concerts or cultural events at the beach or in open spaces this year. Several star hotels, with administrative permission, have planned various events. The tourist police have also made preparations to ensure the safety of the millions of tourists expected to visit Cox’s Bazar.
A coordination meeting has been held with the district law enforcement agencies, government officials, political leaders, and hotel owners to peacefully celebrate the 31st night. The meeting emphasized that strict security measures would be taken to ensure the safety of tourists and to peacefully conclude the year and welcome the new one.
Expecting lakhs of tourists
According to discussions with tourism-related businesses, every year, Cox’s Bazar becomes crowded for the 31st night celebration. To watch the last sunset of the year, lakhs of people, including guests and locals, gather at the beach and surrounding tourist areas.
This year, similar expectations remain. Businesses believe that while there will be no open-air concerts or cultural events on the beach, a few star hotels have planned indoor celebrations. Even so, several hundred thousand tourists are expected. Cultural events will be held inside the hotels for the tourists.
The district commissioner of Cox’s Bazar, Mohammad Salahuddin, told reporters that there will be no concerts or events in open spaces on the beach for the 31st night. Fireworks and crackers are also prohibited on the beach. However, several star hotels, with administrative permission, will host concerts in their indoor venues, where special security arrangements will be made.
Tourists have started arriving
Mohammad Abdur Rahman, president of the Cox’s Bazar Greater Beach Business Association, mentioned that tourists have already started arriving in Cox’s Bazar for the 31st night celebrations, as the winter holidays are ongoing. He said: “Cox’s Bazar is already packed with tourists during this holiday.
Those who have arrived early are visiting various tourist spots like the sea beach, Inani Beach, Himchari, Ramu Buddhist Monastery, Dulahazara Bangabandhu Safari Park, the Adinath Temple in Maheshkhali’s Mainak Hill, and even Saint Martin’s Island. In the past, many travelers used to stay in Saint Martin’s to welcome the new year, but this year, it will be more limited.”
Hotels hosting 31st night celebrations
At the Simon Beach Resort in Cox’s Bazar, a concert will be held, and the entire resort has been decorated with lights. Additionally, at the Mermaid Beach Resort in the Eco-Tourism Village on the Pachar Island beach along the Marine Drive road, there will be a year-end and welcoming celebration with musicians. Hotel Kollol, located at Labani Point on the beach, will also organize a special cultural program in its premises. Other resorts like Ocean Paradise and Cox-Today are planning similar events for their guests.
Somaiya Akter Rabu, the guest relations officer at Simon Beach Resort, told Bangla Tribune: “We have planned several activities for the 31st night, including decorating the hotel and offering various amenities to guests. A winter festival with traditional Bengali sweets and an indoor concert will also take place, featuring renowned national musicians. Only hotel guests will be able to attend the event. We hope tourists will be able to welcome the new year with a grand celebration.”
The President of Cox’s Bazar Tourist Club, Md Rezaul Karim, mentioned to Bangla Tribune: “As in previous years, there will be no concerts or cultural events at the beach or in open spaces for the 31st night. However, star hotels are organizing cultural events for their guests on their own premises. If there were open-air concerts, more tourists would have come.”
No hotel rooms available
Hotel owners report that there are no available rooms in the hotels, motels, guesthouses, and resorts of the city starting from Monday. In the past two days, 10% of rooms were still available, but now all rooms are fully booked until the 31st night. They are expecting at least five to seven lakh tourists to arrive by January 4.
Abul Kashem Sikder, President of the Cox’s Bazar Hotel Guest House Owners Association, said that no rooms are available in over 500 hotels, resorts, guesthouses, and cottages. The daily capacity of hotels, resorts, and guesthouses is 140,000. Currently, rooms are being shared by five to seven people per room, and this situation will continue until December 31. More tourists are expected in the coming days.
Mokhim Khan, General Secretary of the Kalatali-Marine Drive Hotel-Motel Owners Association, said: “As every year, several hundred thousand tourists are expected for the 31st night celebration. We have made additional preparations and, in coordination with the administration, are ensuring the highest level of service for the tourists. We hope the tourists will enjoy a pleasant 31st night.”
No open-air events for the last five years
Since 2020, no concerts or cultural events have been organized at Cox’s Bazar sea beach or in open spaces. The events were halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Regarding this, the President of the Cox’s Bazar Citizens Forum, ANM Helal Uddin, told Bangla Tribune, “Without open-air events, the 31st night loses its charm. After the arrival of the Rohingyas in 2017, boundary walls were built for events at the beach for security reasons. Similar arrangements were made in 2019. However, since the Covid-19 pandemic, the tourism city has almost come to a standstill. Since Covid-19 is no longer a threat, the administration should have allowed concerts and events in open spaces. Such events would have boosted the tourism industry.”
Midnight beach walk allowed with security
Md Tanveer Hossain, Executive Magistrate (Tourism Cell) of Cox’s Bazar District Administration, said to Bangla Tribune, “Concerts and cultural events in open spaces have been prohibited. This decision was made at a coordination meeting regarding the 31st night celebration.
However, tourists can walk along the beach until midnight to celebrate the new year. Several mobile court teams, led by the Executive Magistrate, will be present in the field. Arrangements have also been made to reduce traffic congestion in the city.”
Considering the safety of tourists, the Tourist Police’s Additional Superintendent of Police, Md Asaduzzaman, mentioned that open-air celebrations for the 31st night have been banned again this year.
He said: “There will be multi-layered security on December 30 and 31. No one will be allowed to enter the beach without a security check. In addition to plainclothes officers, five mobile teams will be responsible for security. Not only security but a special team of Tourist Police will be available to solve any issues for tourists.