Fire safety gaps persist as just 125 of over 600 Cox’s Bazar hotels, resorts renew licences

As of 17 October, the Fire Service had received 53 online fire licence applications, issued 23 licences and was processing the remaining 30.

The CoxDA study also identified 701,747 residential, non-residential and commercial structures, of which only 2,455 had fire safety approval and 5,696 had safe exits, while the rest lacked these measures.

The Fire Service said hotel owners had repeatedly shown reluctance to obtain fire licences and implement safety measures. Many reportedly operate with only trade licences from municipalities or union parishads.

The department recommended a joint task force involving local administrators, law enforcement agencies, tourism bodies and fire officials to inspect hotels and resorts and take action against violations. It also called for regular mobile courts, fire licences as a prerequisite for trade licences, and fire safety plans to be implemented before buildings open.

Fire Service Director General Brigadier General Sultanul Afrain Zunaid told The Business Standard that a team had already been formed to inspect hotels and resorts and bring them under the licensing system.

CoxDA Chairman Engineer Jashim Uddin said a district master plan was being prepared to address unplanned development and regulatory complications.

“Within the municipality, a 300-metre stretch from the shoreline, and across the district, a 500-metre stretch, have been declared Ecologically Critical Areas (ECAs) by the law. The government is considering amending the law to allow establishments in certain parts of ECAs, depending on the characteristics of the land,” he said.

He said the plan would provide a framework for bringing unauthorised establishments under a legal regulatory structure.

Only 51 hotels have environmental clearance

Khondaker Mahmud Pasha, deputy director of the DoE in Cox’s Bazar, said environmental clearance was mandatory for hotels and resorts with more than 20 rooms.

“Under environmental law, establishments with more than 20 rooms must obtain clearance from the Department of Environment before and after construction. But only 51 establishments have so far obtained DoE clearance,” he said.

The department conducted enforcement drives at more than 100 establishments over the past year and realised Tk1.29 crore in fines. It also filed 33 regular cases against hotels accused of violating environmental laws, he added.

Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mannan said the district administration did not have an exact count of hotels and resorts, estimating around 600. He said it regularly conducted drives and demolished illegal structures in ECAs.

Hoteliers demand master plan and clear rules

Abul Kashem Sikder, president of the Cox’s Bazar Hotel and Guest House Owners Association, said the absence of a government database made it difficult to determine how many accommodation facilities existed or assess their compliance.

“There is no concrete data. I have not been able to obtain reliable figures from any government agency,” he told The Business Standard.

Sikder said approvals from multiple agencies and coastal construction restrictions created uncertainty for existing businesses.

“If tourism is necessary, the government should amend the law where needed. If the land is required for environmental conservation, the government should acquire it through a lawful process and provide compensation,” he said.

He called for a fresh assessment of environmentally sensitive areas and a master plan defining where hotels could operate, taking coastal changes and climate change into account.

Sikder urged inspections of individual buildings and clear instructions to address safety shortcomings rather than indiscriminate closures.

“Identify what needs to be corrected in each building and give the owners clear instructions. The aim should be to make the establishments safe,” he said.

He warned that widespread closures could cost thousands of jobs and hurt tourism-dependent businesses.