Sylhet tourism industry facing unbearable loss due political unrest

Sylhet city known as city of tourism is now tourist-less in this pick season due to countrywide unbarred blockage, strikes. The region’s tourism sector is facing acute losses in its business as tourists are not coming in Sylhet area due to the ongoing political unrests. Hotel-Motels are almost vacant and counting unbearable loss and this situation remained since the beginning of this year.Sources related to tourism industry of Sylhet, Winter season is considered as time for tourism in Bangladesh as tourists like to make tour mostly in this season and the tourism industry and businesses take preparation around the whole only for this pick tourism time. But this year tourists are not coming in Sylhet area due to unbarred blockage, strikes and for the country’s violent political situation in and in this situation, Sylhet tourism industry is facing unbearable loss in this pick season. Around 300 of hotels and motels in Sylhet are now guestless for 18 days in this month.”  Sylhet Hotel Owners Association source told Mainly from November to February month is considered as tourism season. But in this pick season, they are counting about taka 1 crore loss per day due to political instability in the country. Hotel and motels are being bound to give leave to their employees and labourers to minimize the amount of ongoing losses in this business this year. If this situation continues more, the country’s tourism industry will critically break down.’’Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation Sylhet Unit Manager Kazi Ashrafur Rahman said “The Corporation’s Sylhet Motel would stay busy with tourists from all over the country and abroad from December to March months as almost 98% of suites of Sylhet unit would stay always booked in this season and could earn taka 1 to 1.5 lac per day in the previous years but this year, more then 80 percent of suites are remaining vacant everyday as except some businessmen and foreigners come in Sylhet over airlines, no tourists are visiting Sylhet because tourists are feeling unsafe in the countrywide political unrest.”He said “A team of North South University was booked the Motel’s Sylhet unit recently but they have canceled the booking as they are feeling unsafe to make the trip in this situation.” Besides hotel-motels, tourist spots in Sylhet region look like ‘no man’s land’ as no tourist are visiting any of them. In previous years tourist spots would stay busy but from the beginning of this year, no tourists have seen at those spots. As the result businessman and labourers based on tourism industry are troubling to manage livelihood at present.Among natural tourist spots In Sylhet region, Jaflong, Bichnakandi, Lalakhal, Pangthumai, Bhoolaganj in Sylhet District, Hakaluki Hoar, Baikka Beel, Madhabkunda water fall, Hammam Water Fall, Madhabpur Lake, Lauachhara Reserved Forest, Tea Gardens in Moulvibazar District, Tanguar Hoar and Tekerghat in Sunamganj District, Rema Kalenga Forest and Satchhari Reserved Forest are special attraction for tourists from all over the country and abroad as well but due to the country’s political violence-unrests, all tourist spots of the region are now tourist-less.