Recent drownings raise concern

In a shocking video that went viral recently, a tourist was seen struggling against strong waves to save his son from drowning in the sea in front of a beach resort in the Kolatoli area of Cox's Bazar.

A jet-ski operator attempted several times to rescue them but failed. About five minutes later, lifeguards from the Sea Safe Lifeguard Project, stationed at a nearby watchtower, managed to pull them out in critical condition and rushed them to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, located about three kilometres away.

Both of them -- Shahinur Rahman, 60, and his son Sifat, 20 -- were declared dead on arrival by doctors.

Imtiaz Ahmed, manager of the Sea Safe Lifeguard Project under the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB), said, "We need equipment like jet-skis and beach bikes to reach drowning spots quickly. In this case, it took five minutes to reach the victims, and every second counts in such an emergency scenario. There's also no medical centre along the beach to provide immediate first aid."

The jet-ski operator failed to save the victims due to strong waves, instability, and a lack of rescue training.

The incident was not an isolated one. Since July 2024, eight people have drowned in the sea along Cox's Bazar beach, including six during the last Eid-ul-Azha vacation alone.

According to Sea Safe project data, a total of 791 people have been rescued, while 60 people have drowned since the project began in 2015.

Cox's Bazar, the country's most popular tourist destination, draws thousands of holidaymakers year-round to enjoy the scenic beach and makes an enormous contribution to the local tourism economy.

While the district administration also earns high revenue from taxes and licensing for vendors, beach tents, photographers, beach bikes, jet-skis, beach chairs, horse rides, and other services, its role in preventing drowning incidents by incorporating necessary measures has so far been largely inadequate.

Abul Kashem Shikdar, president of the Hotel, Motel and Guesthouse Owners' Association, said even though Cox's Bazar generates revenue worth several thousand crore taka every year, safety measures for tourists remain insufficient.

Abu Sadik, a tourist from Dhaka's Dhanmondi, urged the authorities concerned to modernise and strengthen the beach safety system to prevent such tragedies.

Md Shohidul Alam, additional district magistrate of Cox's Bazar and member secretary of the Beach Management Committee, said beach guards are deployed to monitor the coastline. "Magistrates also patrol during peak seasons," he said.

He, however, could not specify what role, if any, the magistrates play in rescue operations or how much revenue the Beach Management Committee earns from beach-related businesses.

"We've held several meetings with stakeholders to address drowning prevention. Initiatives will be taken soon," he added.

Imtiaz warned that Cox's Bazar beach has become increasingly risky due to hidden ditches and strong currents.

"We have only 27 lifeguards, working in two shifts, equipped with just buoys and surfboards. With such limited manpower and basic tools, it is extremely difficult to ensure the safety of the vast number of tourists who visit the beach," he added.