A youth who went missing while swimming at Kuakata sea beach in Patuakhali has turned up in the Indian city of Chennai. The missing tourist Firoz Shikder, 27, himself contacted his family from Chennai on Saturday at 5 pm after remaining missing for the last seven days, said his brother Masud to UNB. On May 27, Firoz, a resident of Amkhola village in Patuakhali, went missing as he was swimming with some of his friends at Kuakata. Also read: Missing gold trader found dead after 5 months Quoting his brother, Masud said,”Firoz was pulled into the deep sea during high current and somehow found a log to hold on to. After some 24 hours of floating some Indian fishermen rescued him and handed him to Indian Coast Guard.” The Indian Coast Guard took Firoz to Chennai state and he is currently under the custody of the Indian government. Also read: Kishoreganj ferry tragedy: Woman drowns, child goes missing Abdul Khaleque, Assistant Superintendent of Kuakata tourist police said Firoz’s brother has informed them about the incident and they are looking into the matter.

Kuakata is a scenic travel paradise in the southern part of Bangladesh, known as the "Sagar Kannya" which means “Daughter of Sea”. It is one of the most beautiful and captivating places for traveling and leisure travelers. Not just in the country, Kuakata is now known all over the world. Standing at the same place on the beach, anyone can see the sunrise and sunset. Kuakata has a wide reputation for breathtaking natural scenic beauty. Are you planning to go on a vacation to Sagar Kanya Kuakata? Here are some essential travel tips. History and culture of Kuakata: Name and location The name Kuakata is derived from the word 'Kuya,' which means "well" (water that comes from the ground). There is a popular belief that the Arakanese were driven out of Burma by the Mughal rulers around the 18th century, landed on Rangabali Island off the coast of the Bay of Bengal, and settled in what is now Kuakata. There was a problem with drinking water then, so they dug a lot of wells here. Hence, the region was named Kuakata. However, it is a conventional idea, and found this information almost everywhere, including Wikipedia. However, this may not be fully accurate information. Read: You can now travel to Saint Martin's Kuakata is a location of pilgrimage for the Buddhist and Hindu communities. Countless devotees attend the holy Ras Purnima and Maghi Purnima festivals here. On this occasion, the pilgrims take a holy bath in the bay and also take part in the traditional fair. Kuakata is located in Kalapara Upazila, Patuakhali District. It is situated in the southern part of Bangladesh, and it is about 320 kilometers (200mi) south of Dhaka and 70 kilometers away from Patuakhali district headquarter. How to reach Kuakata? You can go by road or by the river through the launch. But whatever the way you take, you will reach there by 9-10 am in the morning. By road:  The distance by road from Dhaka to Kuakata is 380 km. From Dhaka several buses including Hanif Paribahan, Golden Line Paribahan, Survi Paribahan, Sakura Paribahan, Druti Paribahan go to Kuakata. Buses leave from Gabtoli bus stand for Kuakata. The fare of these buses is Tk. 800-1000 per person, while the AC bus fare is Tk. 1000+. The buses will drop you off near the beach, and you can walk to the beach. It takes about 13 hours to reach Kuakata by bus from Dhaka. Read Motorbike Riding in Winter: How to beat the cold weather? However, many people choose to travel by launch to enjoy the beauty of the river and consider the comfort. But there is no launch going directly to Kuakata from Dhaka. So, you have to take a launch from Dhaka Sadarghat to Patuakhali or Barisal and from there take a bus to Kuakata.

Local fishermen found a dead dolphin on Kuakata sea beach in Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali district on Saturday. Local people said, the dolphin, about 6-7 feet long, had injury marks on its mouth and they suspected that the dolphin might have died after being hit by fishing nets. Read:Another dead dolphin found floating in a canal in Chattogram Apu Shaha, Fisheries and Livestock official of Kalapara upazila, said, “The dolphin belongs to the Ganges river dolphin specie which live on eating fish. It might have died after being hit by fishing nets.”

An unhealthy competition between travel agencies and irresponsible behaviour of tourists have endangered the natural ecosystem of newly-emerged island ‘Char Bijoy’ in the Bay of Bengal, about 40 kms southeast off the Kuakata sea beach.   The 5,000-acre island is home to thousands of migratory birds and countless red crabs. When the crabs crawl out of the ground, the entire island seems from afar that it is covered in a red carpet. The flocking of so many birds in the island at the same time gives it a picturesque look.   As the name of this island found traction in mass media, its popularity began to rise and ‘Char Bijoy’ added a new dimension to the tourist attraction of Kuakata.   As more and more tourists arrive at Kuakata, the local travel agencies have resorted to an unhealthy completion to take as many tourists to the island as possible. The absence of any directive from the Tourism Ministry about visiting ‘Char Bijoy’ made their job even easier.