The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Cox's Bazar

Beach resort town Cox's Bazar is expected to be hosting at least two lakh local tourists in the first two weeks of this month in the context of two biggest religious festivals--Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja.

Hospitality industry people said accommodations in almost all the 110 residential hotels and motels and 50 guesthouses were booked in advance, and festival tourists already started pouring in.

District administration and law enforcing agencies have taken up measures to ensure safety of travellers, mostly coming with families.

Abul Kasem Sikder, general secretary of Cox's Bazar Hotel-Motel Owners' Association, said they estimated that the beach town was expected to see more than two lakh tourist arrivals. Almost all the hotels, motels and guesthouses have already been booked from October 1 to 12, he informed.

Deputy commissioner Manjur Alam Bhuiyan on Monday chaired a meeting that discussed the law and order situation of the town, sea beach and other tourist sites like Himchhari, Chokoria safari park, Moheskhali and St. Martin's islands and Teknaf.

District commanding officer Lt. Col. Mostahidur Rahman, additional superintendent of police Imam Hossein, senior administration officials Arifur Rahman and Omar Farook, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation official Sujit Barua and Hotel Seagull managing director Masum Iqbal were among those who attended the meeting.