Cox's Bazar
Tourism industry cares less about health rules as business recovers from gloom
As tourism gains momentum in business after relaxation of Covid restrictions, the few health protocols still in force are being completely ignored in violation of the conditions imposed by the government.
One of those protocols for the hotel authorities at the famous tourism spots was to keep 50 per cent of the accommodation empty. But it is being highly disregarded by the management of hotels and motels.
Taufiq Rahman, Secretary General of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Bangladesh Chapter, said it's hard for hotel authorities to follow the health rules even if they wish to because of the onrush of tourists at the spots soon after the mass unlocking.
READ: ATJFB joins beach cleanup on World Tourism Day
"A strict monitoring by the local government on how many tourists can visit a spot at a time may ensure the compliance of the government's direction," suggested Taufiq.
Apparently health guidelines have already become a myth in Cox's Bazar, one of the most frequented tourism spot in the country with 500 t0 600 hotels and motels.
President of Tour Operator Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) Rafiuzzaman said crowding of in open places can't actually be controlled or monitored.
Read Bangladesh unlocks tourism
"In our meetings we are asking operators to operate tours maintaining health guidelines. But most tourists go personally and they don't actually care much about those rules," said the president of TOAB.
Regarding keeping 50 per cent accommodation vacant, Rafiuzzaman said though the five star or standard hotels are maintaining the guideline small hotels are taking full bookings.
UP elections: Voting underway in 160 union parishads, 9 municipalities
Balloting at 160 union parishads spread across six districts began at 8am Monday and will continue till 4pm without any break.
In Bagerhat, voting is underway in 65 Union across nine upazilas in a peaceful environment. Voters gathered in the polling centers since morning to exercise their voting rights. However, out of 65 union parishads in the district, 39 candidates of Awami League have been elected as chairman unopposed.
According to the Bagerhat District Election Office, polling is going on in 65 out of 75 Unions of Bagerhat District. As many as 3,121 candidates are fighting in the elections. Of them, 98 are for the post of chairman, 768 for the post of member in the reserved ward and 2,255 for the post of member in the general ward.
The total number of voters in these unions is 9,45,188. Voters are casting their votes in 599 polling centers. Besides, electronic voting machines (EVM) have been deployed for four unions of Fakirhat, Rampal and Mongla upazilas.
Read:Bagerhat UP polls a microcosm for the nation
Bagerhat District Election Officer Faraji Benozir Ahmed said no untoward incident has been reported so far. Each polling center has five full-time policemen and 15 Ansar members and two PCs with a total of 22 members.
Similarly in Cox’s Bazar, voting started in the 1st phase of elections in Chakaria and Maheshkhali municipalities of Cox's Bazar and 14 union parishads of four upazilas.
Voters have alleged that the balloting is moving at a snail’s pace. After a visit at the Saborong High School polling center in Teknaf, the UNB correspondent found there is some truth behind the allegation.
Till 11am, 3 hours into voting, just 150 out of nearly 3,000 voters registered to vote at the centre had cast their vote. Both men and women were seen standing in long queues waiting impatiently to exercise their right to franchise.
Read:BNP senior leaders seek party’s pre-election roadmap
If the status quo continues, the voting scenario at the district might turn chaotic real soon, observed the correspondent.
According to the Cox's Bazar District Election Office, the number of voters in Maheshkhali municipality of the district is 19,484 and in Chakaria municipality 48,724. There are 59 booths in 10 polling stations in Maheshkhali and 139 booths in 16 polling stations in Chakaria municipality. Eight candidates are contesting for the post of mayor in 2 municipalities.
The total number of voters in 14 unions of Pekua, Kutubdia, Maheshkhali and Teknaf upazilas of the district is 3,11,234 people. There are 780 permanent and 113 temporary polling booths in 140 polling stations of four upazilas.
Meanwhile, 8 platoons of BGB with 4 platoons for each municipality and 24 platoons BGB for 14 unions have been deployed in Cox’s Bazar.
Read:By-election to Cumilla-7 on Oct 7
RAB, police, and Ansar members have also been deployed. Coastguards have been deployed for coastal areas. Besides, executive and judicial magistrates have been appointed in the constituencies, sources said.
In Satkhira, voter turnout has been a bit low in the morning due to heavy rainfall.
Polling is being held in 21 unions of Kalaroa and Tala upazilas at 195 centers in 189 wards. Electronic Voting machines are being used in one union of Kalaroa and 3 unions of Tala.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) decided to not take part in the polls this time around, which significantly took the excitement away from the UP polls. In early June, the commission decided to postpone elections to 167 union parishads in Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Noakhali, Chattogram, and Cox's Bazar due to a surge in Covid-19 cases.
Women's Football: Brahmanbaria become group champions outplaying Cox's Bazar 4-1
Brahmanbaria emerged Group A champions with all-win record to reach the semi-final of the JFA-U-14 National Women's Football Championship' 2021 eliminating Cox's Bazar by 4-1 goals at the Shahid Muktijoddha Smriti Stadium in Rajshahi on Sunday.
Jasmin made a hat-trick scoring in the 9th, 34th and 55th minutes while Puja Rani netted the other goal for Brahmanbaria the 43rd minute.
Kranchi Marma scored the consolation goal for Cox's Bazar in the stoppage time of the match (70+1 minute).
Read: Women's Football: Brahmanbaria beat Mymensingh 3-1 to reach semifinal
In the day's other match, Panchagarh advanced to the semi-final as group A runners up outplaying all losers Mymensingh by 3-0 goals at the same venue Sunday afternoon.
Rimi Khatun struck two in the 22nd and 45th minutes while Trisha Rani scored the other goal for Panchagarh in the 13th minute
On completion of all the three Group A matches, Brahmanbaria clinched group title with all-win run securing full nine points while Panchagarh finished group runners up collecting four points at the coffin of Cox's Bazar.
Read: Women's Football: Bashundhara Kings clinch league crown
In the semi-finals on Tuesday, Group A champions Brahmanbaria will play either against hosts Rajshahi or Magura at 2:30 pm while Panchagarh will meet either Magura or Rajshahi at 4:30 pm.
Two top teams of the group B-- Magura and hosts Rajshahi --will meet each other on Monday at the same venue to decide the group champions .
Women's Football: Cox's Bazar makes flying start beating Mymensingh 3-1
Cox's Bazar made a flying start in the eight-team final round of the JFA-U-14 National Women's Football Championship' 2021 beating Mymensingh by 3-1 goal in the opening match at the Shahid Muktijoddha Smriti Stadium in Rajshahi on Wednesday.
The group A match between two teams was locked in 1-1 goal in the first half.
Pronochin Marma struck twice in the 12th and 63rd minutes while Thoyen netted the other goal for Cox's Bazar in the 55th minute.
Read: Women's Football: Bashundhara Kings clinch league crown
Poly netted the lone goal for Mymensingh in the 15th minute.
In the day's other Group A match, Brahmanbaria managed a 1-O goal victory over Panchagarh at the same venue Wednesday afternoon.
On Thursday, hosts Rajshahi will play Faridpur at 2 pm while Magura will meet Khulna at 4pm in group B encounters at the same venue.
Read: Women's Football: Bashundhara Kings clinch league crown with 18-0 victory over Jamalpur KA
On completion of group matches, top two teams from each group will play in the semifinals on Sept 7 while the final match will be held on Sept 9 at the same venue.
Cox's Bazar Airport set to get a spectacular maritime runway
Bangladesh is set to add another feather to its development journey with the formal groundbreaking inauguration of the runway extension work along the Sea at Cox's Bazar Airport on Sunday.
This maritime runway, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, is seen as a major step towards promoting Cox’s Bazar, the country's popular beach town, to an international metropolis.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to virtually inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony and unveil the foundation stone of the runway extension at 10am, said an official.
Read PM inaugurates work on Cox's Bazar Airport’s runway upgradation
Apparently inspired by Hong Kong International Airport, the government of Bangladesh has taken the runway expansion project at the Cox's Bazar Airport by reclaiming land from the sea.
Upon completion of the project, all types of large aircraft will be able to take off and land on the maritime runway, officials said.
The US$ 185 million project will help boost the development of Cox’s Bazar and the neighbouring regions, they said.
Read Bangladesh unlocks tourism
The government is currently implementing a large number of projects in Cox's Bazar under a mega plan to develop the tourism city like Singapore and Hong Kong.
UNFPA, KOICA join hands to address menstrual hygiene in Cox’s Bazar
Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has partnered with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to safeguard women and girls’ dignity and improve their menstrual hygiene in Cox’s Bazar district.
The partnership agreement with a value of US$ 2,950,000 was signed by KOICA Country Director in Bangladesh, Youngah Doh and UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh, Dr. Asa Torkelsson at a ceremony held in the city on Thursday.
Between 2021-2024, this partnership will support a variety of activities to improve the knowledge of menstrual hygiene and address the menstrual hygiene needs of women and girls in Cox’s Bazar.
Read: KOICA takes project on road safety in Bangladesh through ITS
A total of 17,160 adolescent girls, boys, female, and male caregivers in 12 targeted communities are expected to directly benefit from the programme interventions.
Coast Guard rescues 13 fishermen from stranded boat off Cox's Bazar
The Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) has rescued as many as 13 fishermen stranded in a boat in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Cox's Bazar.
The boat with the 13 fishermen was adrift in the sea following an engine failure around 8.30am on Monday, about 10 nautical miles west of Laboni Beach in Cox's Bazar.
Read:13 Indian fishermen detained from Bay
Coast Guard headquarters media officer Lieutenant Commander Amirul Haque said that the fishing boat 'FB Ma Moni' carrying the fishermen set out from Cox's Bazar Ghat number six early on Monday.
"Around 8.30am, the boat's engine broke down off Laboni Beach. The boatmen sent out an SOS message to BCG Cox's Bazar station. The fishermen were rescued later that night. They were given food and first aid at our station," he said.
Read:Navy rescues 17 stranded fishermen from Bay of Bengal
The rescued fishermen were later handed over to their families and the fishing boat to the owners, the BCG official said.
Covid-19: Vaccination campaign begins at Rohingya camps
Vaccination against Covid-19 began at Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar district on Tuesday.
As part of its involvement in the vaccination programme of the government, Humanitarian Crisis Management Programme (HCMP) of BRAC organized the campaign titled ‘Covid-19 Vaccination Campaign for Rohingya Community’.
Trained nurses of BRAC gave vaccines to the Rohingyas at camps 1-East, 8-East and No. 13 in Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar.
Also read: Mega Covid inoculation drive begins in Bangladesh
The inoculation drive will take place from 9:30am to 2:30pm till August 18.
'Rohingya' man held with 33 gold bars in Cox's Bazar
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Monday detained a Rohingya man along with 33 gold bars worth Tk 2.91 crore from Kutupalong in Ukhiya upazila of Cox's Bazar district.
The detainee was identified as Md Zainal Abedin, 65, a resident of Tambru Konapara Rohingya Camp.
Read: Man held with 37 gold bars at Dhaka airport
Tipped off, members of Tambru BOP of Cox's Bazar Battalion (34 BGB) took position at Palangkhali in Ukhiya Upazila at around 6am and detained him.
Later, the BGB patrol team searched Zainal’s body and recovered the gold bars weighing 5.482 kg.
Read: Dubai passenger held with gold bars at Sylhet airport
Ali Haider Azad Ahmed, Commander of Cox's Bazar Battalion (34 BGB), said the detainee was handed over to Ukhiya police station.
The recovered gold bars will be deposited to the Cox's Bazar treasury office, he added.
‘Rohingya robber’ killed in ‘gunfight’ with Rab in Cox's Bazar
A suspected Rohingya robber was killed in a ‘gunfight’ with Rapid Action Battalion members in Damdamia area of Hnila Union in Teknaf Upazila early Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Nuru, leader of a Rohingya robber gang called 'Nuru Bahini'.
Read: ‘Robber’ killed in ‘gunfight’ with Rab in Gazipur
Cox's Bazar Rab-15 Teknaf CPC-1 camp in-charge Lt. Commander Mahbub said that tipped off, a team of the elite force conducted a drive in Damdamia area of Teknaf. Sensing presence of the law enforcers the robbers opened fire on them, forcing them to fire back that triggered the gunfight.
The Rab men recovered the body of Nuru from the spot when the gunfight was over. The body was sent to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy.
Read: Rohingya gang leader killed in Ukhiya gunfight
They also recovered three guns, one pistol and some bullets from the spot, said the officer.
A case was filed with Teknaf Police Station.