Floods wreak havoc on Sylhet’s tourism industry with Tk 500cr loss

SA Shofiee, Sylhet :
Tourism industry in Sylhet has collapsed due to recent frequent floods. Moreover Sylhet is the daughter of nature which suffers from dearth of due to floods. Tourism traders say that the loss in this sector has exceeded Tk 500 crore. The largest number of tourists is during Eid. Even in the busy season of Eid-ul-Azha, the desired tourists did not come to Sylhet.
According to the information of the Water Development Board, on May 29 heavy rains and landslides caused the first flood situation in Sylhet. After June 8, the situation became somewhat normal. The second blow of the flood came on June 16. That day, two upazilas bordering Sylhet fell under the influence of floods due to landslides. Floods gradually occurred in 13 upazilas of the district including urban areas. On June 19, heavy rains and landslides caused flooding in those upazilas. On June 25, the flood situation began to improve somewhat. However, since July 1, the flood situation has become serious due to the increase in river water.
Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Sheikh Russel Hasan said, “Due to the flood, all sectors of industry and trade have been damaged in one way or another. Now emphasis is being placed on standing by the flood victims. The water did not go down completely. People are staying in shelters. The executive officers of tourism-rich upazilas have been instructed to ensure security. I hope that the tourist centers will become popular again soon.
According to Sylhet Hotel Motel Resort Owners Association, there are more than five hundred hotels and motels in the district, most of which are still empty. As floods started on the day of Eid, the administration banned entry to tourist centers. Since then, tourists did not go to Sylhet due to frequent floods. There was hope of tourist gathering ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, but it was not fulfilled due to floods. On the other hand, the tourism industry is going through a drought even in the full season. Those involved in tourism have to count the losses every day.