Rangamati tourism hit hard

The tourism business in the district has been hit hard by the recent landslides as no tourist visited tourist attractive spots here during the Eid vacation unlike in the past. The hill district is now witnessing least crowd of tourists in history due to damaged roads and fears of further landslides amid sporadic rains.

Hotel owners, loom artists, boat owners are in deep financial trouble as tourists have turn their backs on the district.
Around 145 points of Rangamati-Chittagong road were damaged by the mudslides that struck the district on June 13, halting the road communication between the two districts.

A 100-metre portion of the road at Shalban totally collapsed, reports UNB. Bangladesh Army and the Road Transport and Highways Division constructed an alternative link road at the point which was opened to light vehicles a few days back.

However, it will take another month to make the road fit for heavy vehicles, keeping the tourists from all over the country away from the district. Those dependent on tourism also take the heat of tourism dip. Every year, hotel rooms here are usually booked much before the start of any Eid vacation, but the scenario is totally different this time. Shwapan Shil, manager of Hotel Hill Park in the district town, said there are 57 hotels here. "But all the hotels are lying empty as there's no tourist due to the landslides."

Drivers of tourist boats are also passing their days in miseries as they have no work, said Md Ramjan Ali, general secretary of Tourist Water Transport Boat Owners' Association. The revenue earning target from the tourism sector is unlikely to be achieved this time, said manager of Rangamati Parjatan Holiday Alok Bikash Chakma.

-AA Business Desk