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Cox s Bazar tourists allege rip-offs

A CORRESPONDENT, Cox's Bazar
The world's longest unbroken beach, Cox's Bazar, is abuzz with tourists, with hoteliers taking full advantage of high demand for accommodation during the Eid holidays.
Hundreds flock to the spot to bask in the sunshine, bathe in the sea, visit fountains and hill caves and go boating. People from across the country come to Cox's Bazar in small and large groups.
Hoteliers hope the high tourist inflow will continue until December 16. Victory Day.
But allegations of rip-offs abound.
No rooms are available in any of the 250 hotels, motels and guesthouses in the town, said Abul Kasem Sikder, general secretary of Cox's Bazar Hotel, Motel and Guesthouse Owners' Association.
Failing to find accommodation in Cox's Bazar, many tourists are going to Teknaf, St Martin's and other places of the district instead.
A businessman who came to Cox's Bazar with his family from Sutrapur in Dhaka said after hours of searching for a room in more than 40 hotels, he found a room but had to pay four times the normal rent.
Some other tourists also alleged hoteliers are charging Tk 800 to Tk 900 for a room that is worth Tk 200, cashing in on the rush of holidaymakers. They said administrators are not monitoring the situation.
According to a list of room charges submitted to the tax department in Cox's Bazar, Urmee Guest House has stated that it is charging Tk 200 for a single room, Tk 300 for a double room.
Sea Hill showed that it is charging Tk 1,050 for a single and Tk 1,250 for a double room. St Martin's Resort showed a single room at Tk 500, a double bedroom at Tk 600 and a room with three beds at Tk 650. Bay Beach Guest House showed a single room at Tk 150 and a double room at Tk 250, while Diamond Palace showed a single room at Tk 800 and a double room atTk900.
The owners of hotels and
guesthouses pay revenues to the government on the basis of charges stated on this list. In reality, they are charging from Tk 2,000 to Tk 5,000 from tourists, which is eight to nine times the listed fares. Receipts are not provided to guests for room rents upon checkout either.
Hoteliers will be driven off business if they follow fixed room charges, said a top official of the hotel and guesthouse owners' association, asking not to be named.
Sikder said a decision has been taken to hang the room rates outside the hotels, motels and guesthouses.
Deputy Commissioner Md Gias Uddin Ahmed said the hotel owners had been warned about charging high hotel fares. Several magistrates are investigating the matter.
Superintendent of Police Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain said additional police have been deployed in different areas to minimise harassment and tourist sufferings. They are also investigating the allegations.