Though the authorities concerned are trying to beef up security to prevent crime and untoward incidents in the beach town, tourists have largely stayed away during the New Year as a recent incident has tarnished its image as a safe tourist destination.
"Cox's Bazar usually sees a surge of tourists on the eve of New Year every year but this year it was almost empty. Restrictions on outdoor events, recent rape incidents and skyrocketing food prices might be the reasons," said Mahbubur Rahman, a teacher of a local school.
Hotel, motel and restaurant owners and those involved in tourism support services are now worried over the fall in the number of tourists during the peak season.
They said 50 percent of rooms in many hotels and motels were vacant during New Year celebrations.
Law enforcement agencies have taken various steps to ensure the security of tourists while the local administration has set up a monitoring cell following the outcry of people over two rape incidents in the tourist hub recently.
Salahuddin Setu, councillor of Cox's Bazar municipality, said, "Some 350 tourist buses had been kept ready in designated parking spaces during the three-day government holiday starting from December 16, while 250 tourists vehicles were there at Ilias Mia High School ground to deal with the pressure of tourists. Once 700 buses, carrying tourists, used to arrive in Cox's Bazar at this time of the year, but this time around the number was only 50."
Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar, Mamunur Rashid, said, "Cox's Bazar is an attractive tourist destination and some foreign tourists have come here to welcome the New Year and the authorities concerned of the respective hotels have welcomed them."
He said a meeting was held recently with all concerned to ensure the highest security of tourists and better services for them round the year.
Additional Superintendent of Police (tourist police) Mohammad Mohiuddin Ahmed said some 1.5 lakh people can stay in 450 resident hotels and all hotels have been brought under CCTV surveillance to ensure security.
Besides, plainclothes police are on the field to check any untoward incident while tourist police will keep patrolling in 35 tourist zones of the district.
HORRIFIC RAPE
On December 22, a gang of young men abducted a couple and their baby from Cox's Bazar sea beach, took them to a desolate place and then to a local hotel where three of them raped the woman.
On December 13, miscreants picked up a college student and took her to a guest house where they confined her for two days and raped her.
Following the complaint of the victim's father, Rab arrested the prime accused Ashique in this connection on December 28.
NO 'RESERVED AREA' FOR WOMEN
The district administration had backtracked on its earlier decision to keep a dedicated zone for women and children visiting the beach -- in the span of just 10 hours.
Deputy Commissioner Mamunur Rashid inaugurated a separate "reserved area" for women and children at Labani Point on the beach recently.
In the face of adverse reactions from people, particularly on social media, the district administration changed their decision.
DC Mamunur Rashid said the "special zone" was set up in the interest of women and children, but tourists did not appreciate the idea. Cox's Bazar is a tourist destination so their opinion needs to be given importance, he said.
