PHOTO: RAJIB RAIHAN

SIFAYET ULLAH, Ctg

Arafat Hossen once owned Hotel Fultoli, a small establishment at Parki Beach on the Anwara upazila coastline.

In 2019, coastal erosion destroyed his business, about 35 kilometres southeast of Chattogram city. He is among the small business owners displaced by the advancing sea over the past 15 years.

Today, he works as a chef at Hotel Sagarika.

“The erosion turned me from an owner into a worker. It destroyed my livelihood and pushed me into a daily struggle,” he told The Daily Star.

Parki Beach, once dubbed “Mini Cox’s Bazar”, is now a shadow of its former self.

Rows of tamarisk trees, locally known as jhau, once fringed the shoreline, while red crabs scuttled across the wide sandy stretch. That landscape is disappearing fast.

Although the beach stretches for nearly 13 kilometres, tourism and business activity are concentrated in a 2.7-kilometre stretch, which has borne the brunt of erosion.

Over the past 15 years, the Water Development Board estimates that 4.18 lakh square metres of land in this tourist zone have been submerged.

On average, around 155 metres of shoreline have been lost, with erosion reaching up to 250 metres in the worst-hit sections. At least 250 jhau trees have been damaged or uprooted, according to Forest Department data.

During a recent visit, this correspondent found that the southern stretch, from the public toilet area to Lusai Resort, has largely collapsed into the sea.

Uprooted trees lay scattered along the waterline, while the lone public toilet stood dangerously close to the edge, its protective wall weakened by erosion.

In several areas, the beach has become unsafe for visitors. Red crabs, once a major attraction, are now increasingly rare.

“We visited in 2014 when there were rows of jhau trees and stunning natural beauty,” said Salauddin Raihan, a teacher. “Now it feels unsafe to move around. Several parts have already gone into the sea.”

The economic toll has also been severe.

The beach currently supports around 62 permanent shops, 35 floating vendors and four resort-restaurants, catering to an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 visitors a day.

But as erosion eats away at access points and usable land, small traders and hospitality workers are coming under growing threat.

Md Riduwan, owner of Bhai Bhai Hotel, has had to relocate his shop three times in the past decade.

“Erosion has severely affected my business. I am now burdened with two loans,” he said.

According to the Parki Beach Businessmen Welfare Association, at least 15 to 18 businessmen have lost their establishments entirely to erosion over the years.

Md Kashem, president of the association, said, “If the government does not take steps soon to protect Parki from severe erosion, we may lose both the beach and our livelihoods.”

Showkat Ibne Shahid, executive engineer of the Water Development Board in Chattogram, said they had submitted a project proposal to protect Parki.

“A meeting was held, and higher officials suggested revisions,” he said. “The proposal will be presented again after incorporating those changes.”