A whirlwind of development activities have been taking place in Cox’s Bazar for the last several years as the government plans to develop the coastal slope by the Bay of Bengal in the fashion of Singapore or Hong Kong city. As a result the landscape of the beach town is rapidly changing, with a number of mega projects including its iconic oyster-shaped railway station slated to be opened by June this year, which will make it a hub for tourism, trade and regional connectivity.

Once the newly-built rail track from Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar is opened, it will connect the land of natural beauty with Dhaka, Chattogram and other districts through rail lines. Media reports have it that the awe-inspiring international standard six-storied railway station being built in Cox’s Bazar will itself draw more tourists. The station will have locker facilities for tourists so that they can keep their belongings there, which will be of great help for tourists who arrive in the morning and intend to leave at night. It will ease the hassle of commuting as well as reduce the cost of visiting the tourist city.

Apart from the communication infrastructure development, the government is also setting up island-based ecotourism parks in the city. Constructed over an area of 1027 acres, Sabrang Tourism Park is going to be the first exclusive tourism park in the Cox's Bazar district. Besides, a power generation hub, deep sea port and economic zones are also being built in the district, which is expected to be a game-changer for the country’s economy.

Cox’s Bazar is a strategically important place in South Asia, but it has been neglected since independence. But things have gone through a sea change since 2009 when the government adopted the master-plan to develop Cox’s Bazar as a hub for tourism and investment.

Source: Sun Editorial