Editorial
Saving Cox's Bazar beach from encroachment
Need to create a guideline and implement it
Cox's Bazar sea beach, the longest and unbroken seaboard of the world, is now in danger of being laid to waste. The present sight of the beach is shocking as it is littered with unplanned structures from makeshift sheds of bamboo and hay to permanent cement and brick buildings running as hotels, restaurants, gift shops and so on. One can also spot piles of brick and various construction materials on the coastline as well as signboards at different places declaring the names of title-holders of those sites.
If development of tourism in Cox's Bazar is the main objective of the government, how could it then allow such construction spree to go on unchecked? As reported in this paper's lead news, the district administration, despite the Department of Environment (DoE)'s directive, was not forthcoming with action to stop the senseless grabbing of land and construction work on the beach. On the other hand, the district authorities, are trying to excuse themselves on a plea of government bodies like the forest department's as well as the government high-ups' involvement in the grabbing activities on the seashore.
Sadly though, the government's continued inaction in stopping such illegal construction activities and demolishing those structures already built is only contributing to encouraging the despoilers of the Cox's Bazar beach to go on with their encroachment uninhibited.
There is no gainsaying the fact that increasing its attractiveness is part and parcel of the beach's development. But destroying the landscape of the seashore with unauthorised structures is not the way to do that. As reported, both the government itself and the private individuals and organisations are at fault in destroying the topography of the beach.
Ironically though, there is already a government order since 1999 that declares the entire beach area from Cox's Bazar to Teknaf 'ecologically critical.' How then is it possible that government organisations themselves, let alone the private companies and individuals, are carrying out such activities that are detrimental to the beauty and ecological balance of the seashore in violation of that government order? The government must put its foot down to stop such activities forthwith.
While we are also for the private sector's involvement in the development of sea beach that does not mean it should take anarchistic proportions through its over-commercialisation in private hands. Moreover, under no circumstances, the beauty and the unspoiled virginity of the landscape can be compromised. So, in order to develop the seaside with an eye to keeping the panoramic view, the environment and the biodiversity of the landscape intact, the government should think up a guideline involving local and international experts on the subject and ensure that its observance is made mandatory for the public as well as private sector entrepreneurs.
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