Sheikh Hasina promising to make Cox’s Bazar a lucrative tourist destination
Senior Correspondent : Despite having one of the longest beaches of the world, Cox’s Bazar has been 
always neglected, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promising to make it a lucrative tourist destination.
After opening the 80-km long road at a ceremony in Inani, the prime minister took a walk on the beach.
Cox’s Bazar, which has such a wonderful beach, has been always neglected. It’s our duty to turn it into a lucrative tourist destination, she said while addressing the ceremony for the marine drive.
Developing the district town as a tourism hub would open new avenues of economic development, added the prime minister.The marine drive, which uniquely juxtapose with the world’s longest beach on one side and hills on the other, is expected to attract more tourists.
Bangladesh Army has implemented the Roads and Highway Division (RHD) project in three phases, which cost more than Tk 10 billion.Thanking the army and RHD for completing the project before the deadline, Hasina assured upgrading the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar Highway to a four-lane one.
Earlier on Saturday, the new airport tarmac in Cox’s Bazar was opened after a Boeing 737-800 aircraft landed there with Hasina on board. The British-era airport is being used domestically. Only Dash-Q400 aircraft with 74 seats and smaller planes could use the airport until now.
The government has been developing the airport to an international standard as part of modernisation of Cox’s Bazar as a tourism city and Moheshkhali as an investment hub. With the landing of the 162-seat Biman Bangladesh Airlines plane, the prime minister inaugurated the extended runway for the airport.
A Biman spokesperson told they would operate one flight with a Boeing 737 aircraft of every week. It would increase the number of flights in the future.
Later, she inaugurated the Cox’s Bazar Medical College, a hostel of Cox’s Bazar Government Women’s College and Cox’s Bazar Government College each, a complex of Cox’s Bazar Government College, a complex of Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib Women’s College and Moheshkhali-Anwara gas line.
She also laid foundation stones of Cox’s Bazar Airport Development Project (first phase), Cox’s Bazar Medical College Hospital, Cox’s Bazar IT Park, two floating LNG terminals in Moheshkhali, Naaf Tourism Park, and several other projects.
The prime minister will also address a rally organised by the Awami League at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium in the afternoon.
