Govt plans to flourish Moheshkhali-Matarbari as tourist destination

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Moheshkhali and Matarbari have a huge potential to draw both local and foreign tourists as the government has taken an ambitious plan to develop the coastal island.  The government has unveiled the plan to reshape the coastal economy by turning Moheshkhali island into the country’s next industrial hub.

The plan also includes eco-tourism parks, conservation zones and green corridors to preserve the island’s natural environment while creating sustainable jobs in tourism and conservation. Moheshkhali Integrated Development Authority (Mida) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun recently submitted the plan to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Sanaullah Mustafa, a resident of Banglabazar area in Matarbari, said many tourists visit Matarbari every day to enjoy its beauty and once it is developed as a tourist zone as per the government’s plan, it will be a popular tourist destination.

Syed Noor, a resident of Moheshkhali, said his family members visited Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal-Fired Power Plant area and the place where Matarbari deep seaport is going to be established.  “Like us, many tourists are visiting Matarbari every day. They visit the spot in afternoon….we come here to the scenic beauty of sea,” he said.

Rafiqul Islam, an inhabitant of Matarbari, said if the Moheshkhali-Matarbari is developed as a tourist zone, job opportunities will be created for local people.  Like Cox’s Bazar, he said, a huge number of tourists will visit the area every day.

Once the government’s plan is implemented, tourism in Cox’s Bazar is expected to grow by 1.5 times as new facilities will be built, generating more employment in hospitality, food services, transport and tour guiding sectors.

Speaking at a recent meeting with the Mida members in Dhaka, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus discussed prospects of developing an eco-tourism park in the region, particularly stressing an afforestation campaign. “We have to formulate plans on what kind of forest we want to see in the future,” he said.

At the meeting, Mida chairman gave a presentation on the Maheshkhali-Matarbari project and outlined the authority’s four-month action plan saying the mega project would be implemented in three phases – 2025 to 2030, 2030 to 2045, and 2045 to 2055. The Mida’s 120-day work plan is already underway, with the full master plan scheduled for completion by the end of 2025.Sanaullah said the government’s plan to develop a tourist zone in Moheshkhali will be a good action for them.

Once the plan is implemented, more tourists, including both local and foreign ones, will visit Moheshkhali, which will create working opportunities for the locals. Meanwhile, a significant number of tourists, who come to Cox’s Bazar sea beach, will visit Moheshkhali to enjoy the beauty of hills and sea. They also visit Hindu temple and salt field there.

“Now, about 1,000 to 1,200 tourists visit Moheshkhali every day,” said Abdur Rahim, a rickshaw puller who carries tourists from Moheshkhali ghat.