Cox’s Bazar Correspondent:
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has ordered the demolition of all illegal structures built on the Cox’s Bazar beach within a week. He said that the country’s main tourist center, Cox’s Bazar beach, will not be allowed to develop like a ‘Rohingya slum’ in any way. All illegally built structures will be demolished to protect the environment, beauty and order of the beach.
He said these things as the chief guest at the District Law and Order Committee meeting held at the Shaheed ATM Zafar Alam Conference Room of the Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner’s Office on Monday (March 9).
The Home Minister said that illegal shops, temporary structures and various unauthorized structures built on the beach will be removed quickly under the leadership of the district administration. He also said that Cox’s Bazar is the pride of our country. To develop it as a national and international standard tourist destination, the environment and beauty of the beach must be kept intact.
For a long time, there have been allegations of illegal shops, temporary food stalls, uncontrolled business in the name of renting chairs and umbrellas, construction of permanent structures on the sand of the beach, and charging excessive rent from tourists at various points of Cox’s Bazar beach. In many cases, there are also allegations that these illegal establishments have been built under the patronage of local influential people. Due to these reasons, the natural beauty of the beach is being destroyed, and the suffering of tourists is also increasing.
The Home Minister also announced the formation of a new Beach Management Committee to improve the management of the beach. He said that this committee will supervise the discipline, cleanliness and tourism management of the beach.
The Home Minister also announced plans to install CCTV cameras in important areas of Cox’s Bazar city as part of improving the law and order situation. He said that CCTV cameras will be installed in tourist areas, important roads and crowded places in a phased manner. He expressed hope that this will make crime control and investigation activities easier.
In response to a question about the reopening of the Teknaf land port, which has been closed for a long time, the Home Minister said that a policy decision has been taken in this regard. Necessary measures will be taken through the concerned ministry.
Deputy Commissioner MA Mannan, Superintendent of Police Sajedur Rahman, Cox’s Bazar-3 MP Lutfur Rahman Kajal, Cox’s Bazar-4 MP Shahjahan Chowdhury and Cox’s Bazar-2 MP Alamgir Farid, along with officials from the administration, law enforcement and various departments, were present at the meeting.
This was Salahuddin Ahmed’s first visit to Cox’s Bazar after taking charge as the Home Minister. He arrived in his home district Cox’s Bazar on a two-day visit on Sunday (March 8) afternoon.
Meanwhile, after the Home Minister visited his constituency Cox’s Bazar for the first time after taking charge, the Home Ministry has started the largest joint operation in memory with about 4,000 police, RAB, APBN, BGB and army members in Sitakunda, a sanctuary for terrorists, in the Salimpur jungle of Chittagong, which is still ongoing. This impenetrable operation in the remote mountainous region is being widely praised in the greater Chittagong area and has shaken the hearts of the terrorists who are in the safe haven of the mountains.