An astounding silence continues in the tourism sector of Sylhet because of the ongoing political turmoil across the country.
As businessmen involved in the sector have fallen in trouble, people who are working in the area are in fear of losing job.
Sources in the sector said Sylhet was one of the attractive tourist spots in the country and every year, especially during winter season, natural lovers from home and abroad came to the district to enjoy the panoramic beauty of tea gardens as well as water falls.
But as a result of ongoing political instability in the country over the last one month, people incorporated with tourism industry are surpassing a crucial time due to lack of tourists.
As owners of hotels and motels have been incurring huge losses in the peak, they are now considering laying off employes, said Khandaker Siper Ahmad, president of Sylhet Caterers Group.
He said: “The number of foreign tourists is almost zero. The number of native tourists is also decreasing day by day.”
He said a good number of tourists had canceled booking since the political violence began on January 6.
Employees in the sector are also passing leisure time even though it is the peak season for tourists.
Small and middle range businessmen engaged in tourism industry are facing serious losses due to the situation. The businessmen are not selling their packages due to the extreme violence across the country.
“It will be tough to carry on the food expenditure of staffs and there is no alternative for us but to send them on obligatory vacation,” Siper Ahmed said.
AKM Ataul Karim, a young entrepreneur, said: “We have commercial relation with a lot of countries. Recently, a company of Thailand was supposed to come to Bangladesh for discussing potential investment in our country. But considering the political turmoil, they have been compelled to cancel the programme.”
Zahid Hussain, additional manager of Sylhet Parjaton Motel, said they are surpassing a very critical time. In the previous year, almost all 26 of their rooms were booked.
“But in the current year, the scenario is quite unsatisfactory. It is very hard to book one or two room in a day. On Saturday, we booked one and on Sunday, we booked two,” he added.
The managing director of Hotel Nirvana Inn, Tahmim Ahmed said the present government is very cordial about tourism industry.
“We are thinking of reducing the number of employees,” he said.
Ratargul Swamp Forest, Madhabkunda waterfall, the blue water of Bisnakandi, enormous rare species of tree in Lawachora National Park, Ham Ham Waterfall in Komolgonj, Grand Sultan in Srimonghol, only tea research institute of the country Bangladesh Tea Research Institute, Hakaluki haor, Tanguar haor, Hail Haor of Sreemangal, Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi’s memory bearing Rongirkul Biddasrom, Bashtola of Duarabazar and World War II remembrance at Shamshernagar Airport, are the main eye-catching tourist spots of Sylhet.
The largest uphill forest of Bangladesh Rema Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary, Borsijura Eco-Park in Moulvibazar, Monu Barrage and the suburb of Sylhet Alurtol Eco Park near about hundred tourist spots is also very special to the visitors.
