Cox’s Bazar Correspondent:
The beautiful and beautiful sea beach of Cox’s Bazar is now in the hands of a group of unscrupulous encroachers. Illegal structures are being built by encroaching on vast areas of Sugandha, Kalatali and Laboni points of the beach. On the one hand, this is destroying the natural beauty and environment of the beach, while also hindering the movement of tourists. It has been alleged that influential encroachers are continuing their illegal activities without hindrance with the permission of some unscrupulous magistrates.
Especially after hearing the news of the transfer of the Deputy Commissioner, a group has taken over the sandbanks of Sugandha Beach overnight.
The High Court has clearly instructed that no structures of any kind can be built on the beach’s shoreline or the part identified as ‘Ecologically Critical Area’ (ECA). But the encroachers are working day and night, ignoring this instruction. Permanent and temporary shops, restaurants and other commercial establishments are being built on the sands of the beach. Some resorts are even expanding their boundaries by cutting down the mangroves, which is a serious threat to the environment.
In the eviction campaigns conducted at different times, it has been seen that most of the squatters are local politicians and influential people. In fact, in some cases, new squatting festivals are started taking advantage of the change in the political situation. Although the district administration occasionally warns of evictions, their implementation is rarely seen. As a result, thousands of crores of taka of government land is going into the pockets of a few people.
Local legitimate businessmen complain that whenever preparations are made for eviction campaigns, the squatters get the news. As a result, the campaigns fail. Although sometimes a show-off campaign is conducted, new establishments are built again within a few days. Those concerned believe that such incidents are happening due to the collusion of a certain section of the administration officials.
Sugandha Beach Traders President Joynal Chowdhury said, “Look how the beach was occupied overnight. We want there to be no illegal shops on the beach. If necessary, we will also take our shops away.”
The owners of the newly occupied shops on the beach said, “We have brought a card signed by the magistrate and we will not move the shops. If we want to move, move their shops first. We have set up shops here with the permission of the magistrate sir.”
Assistant Commissioner of the Tourism Cell and Executive Magistrate Md. Azim Khan of the Cox’s Bazar Tourism area said, “Those who are sitting have valid cards. You should talk to the Deputy Commissioner sir, the Department of Environment will look into the issue of environmental destruction.” When asked how illegal shops were set up by occupying the beach, he could not give a good answer.
Additional DIG of Tourist Police Apel Mahmud said, “Considering the tourists, this place cannot be allowed to be occupied under any circumstances. If the sandbank is occupied, there will be no place for tourists to set foot.” We have informed the higher authorities that the occupied area will be vacated with the cooperation of the district administration.
In this regard, the Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner said, send me the pictures of the occupied area and we will take action.
While it is important to protect the sea beach for the development of the tourism industry, such silence of the administration has created widespread disappointment in the public. Conscious circles feel that in order to stop this encroachment, strict law enforcement as well as taking immediate action against corrupt officials within the administration is necessary. Otherwise, the longest sea beach in the country will lose its heritage and beauty.
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