52 died in 10 years in Cox’s Bazar beach

Safe beach tour still only in book

Cox’s Bazar Correspondent: Extreme panic is prevailing among tourists as well as locals over the deaths of three tourists in two days on September 17 and 18 while bathing at Cox’s Bazar beach. After the incidents, the concerned administration including tourist police, security personnel and lifeguards have intensified their activities. Even local guardians are advising caution when visiting the beach.
It is learned that the frequent casualties took place as the tourists are ignoring the restrictions on the beach imposed by security guards, tourist police and lifeguard personnel.
Many times rescue workers are able to rescue the tourist from accidents, however, exceptions are occurring again in some cases. As a result, many tourists are losing their lives on the beach every year.
According to the Cox’s Bazar Tourist Police, 52 people have lost lives while bathing on the beach in the last 10 years. Most of them are youths, women or students. Even in 2011, a foreign tourist died on the beach after being trapped in quicksand – his body was later recovered after three days from Dhalghata in Moheskhali.
Meanwhile, in the last 10 years, Yasir Lifeguard and Robi Lifeguard personnel have been able to rescue 753 tourists alive as critical condition. Accidents like this happen whenever tourists go to the deep sea. At this time, the security personnel of the concerned administration, Yasir and Robi Lifeguards tried to warn the tourists by blowing whistles but sometimes failed. As a result, the number of accidents is increasing day by day.
Identifying the cause of these accidents, the concerned administration has issued instructions for the tourists including wearing life jackets before landing on the beach.
The Instructions are:
If any tourist does not know how to swim, he or she should wear a life jacket when going to the sea. Tourists are prohibited to go to the point marked with a red flag.
Tourists should always follow the instructions of a lifeguard in the beach area.
Tourists should not go out to sea after 5 pm.
Before going to the sea, tourists need to know the current weather conditions, including tidal waves in the sea.
Tourists cannot get out of the sea from any point other than the designated place specified by the lifeguards.
Besides, tourists should be aware of the wind speed before going to the sea as strong currents and hidden holes can form at any moment in the sea.
Children should be kept with guardians on the beach at all times.
Tourists are not allowed to go alone on the beach.
Tourists should not go down to the sea with ill or weak bodies.
Besides all this, the district administration has put up signboards identifying the hidden holes of the beach and the areas prone to sea currents.
Meanwhile, only 27 personnel are engaged in two shifts for the safety of tourists in the sea. There is a shortage of lifeguards in the safety of thousands of tourists swimming in the sea, as well as a shortage of rescue equipment, officials said.
Imtiaz Ahmed, project manager at Cox’s Bazar Sea Safe Life Guard, said many people were taking baths, ignoring instructions and red flags. In this case, tourists also need to be much more careful, otherwise, it is difficult to prevent accidents.
Md. Mamunur Rashid, Cox’s Bazar DC and president of the Beach Management Committee, said the security personnel including government and non-government officials urged to perform their duties with dedication and efficiency. He also ordered to give directions to the tourists by miking about the sea tides and quicksand.