Cox’s Bazar Correspondent :
A vast area of the sea beach from Shoibal Hotel point up to Diabetics point is being eroded fast by the Bay of Bengal due to strong current. As a result, the longest sea beach in the world is losing its attraction gradually due to decrease of tourists from both home and abroad. The erosion is happening even up to Nazirar Tek, the final point of the 120-kilometre sea beach.
Sources at the local Forest Department said, from the cyclone ‘Roanu’ till to date, more than 2,000 pine trees have gone into the sea, while in the last two years, around 5,000 pine trees have been lost.
Another reports added that the extent of erosion is clearly indicating the possible extinction of the sea beach in near future. But, the authority concerned is not taking any effective measures in this connection, they added. As a result, the local tourism businessmen have expressed their frustration over the matter.
The businessmen said, though the main point of the sea beach is Laboni point, still a good number of tourists throng the area, from Kalatoly point till Diabetics point. In the last two years, at least half-kilometre portion of the beach has gone into the Bay, they informed.
Md Ilias, a food-item seller at Madrasa point of the beach, said, “The beach suffered erosion after the cyclone Mohasen struck here in 2014. Besides, a portion of the beach from Shoibal point till Diabetics point was also damaged following the attack of the cyclone ‘Roanu’.”
Member of Shotayu Parishad Ziaul Haque said, “Due to severe erosion, most of the areas across the sea beach have become unsuitable for easy movement. Though it is partially possible to move around the beach during the low tide, it is impossible during the high tide. As a result, the number of tourists at Diabetics and Madrasa points has come down to a drastic level.”
Meanwhile, the people concerned with tourism sector here have expressed their concern over the fast extinction of a beach like Cox’s Bazar in this manner.
