Patenga beach has no impression of planning,

Chittagong: Patenga Beach is a popular tourist destination in the port city of Chittagong. Which is located at the mouth of Karnaphuli river.

The Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) constructed an embankment and outer ring road to enhance the beauty of the beach and border the sea. Under this project, a tourist center has been built in an area of ​​5 km along the coast of Patenga. The plan was to develop this Patenga beach with all modern tourist facilities and non-structural modern construction style. But it didn’t happen for a long time. Instead, hundreds of illegal shops have been built around this beach. The walkways and even the Baliari are packed with floating shops.

Going to the surface, it can be seen that there are rows of tourists’ cars at the entrance to the beach. Some people are collecting money from parking without any receipt. A little further away, the traffic members are monitoring the traffic jam. But they don’t care about that. A little further inside is the motorcycle parking. Parking charges are also being taken there. As you walk up the walkway, where you could see the sea earlier, it is now covered with rows of shops. On one side of the walkway, various rides have been installed, including a swing. Two-thirds of the entire walkway is occupied by shop-rides. Garbage from these shops is being thrown there again. No trees were found to beautify the entire walkway. There is no relief for tourists in Balearic either. Beach bike rides, horse carriages are frequented by tourists. As the width of the main beach is less, it is crowded with tourists to enjoy the beauty.

Romana Islam visiting the beach told Banglanews that the entire beach area is full of shops. There are many tourists here as it is a holiday. It is difficult to walk. Especially women have to read a bit of confusion to go back and forth. The beauty of this beach has been completely destroyed by the encroachers.

It is known that some groups of local influencers have started the festival of occupying this place in the name of hawker organization. Huge amount of money is taken from each person in the name of allotment of shops. Each shop and floating hawker has to pay a certain amount as rent. Now there are more than 150 permanent illegal shops, both small and large. Patenga beach encroachment and extortion is going on right under the nose of the administration, but everyone is silent for some unknown reason. Therefore, this coastal area could not be freed from this occupation even for a long time.

A local resident, who did not want to be named, said that most extortion happens here during holidays. They collected more than two lakh rupees from car parking alone. Many floating hawkers also come on holidays and they are also charged.

However, CDA Chief Engineer and Outer Ring Road Project Director Kazi Hasan Bin Shams told BanglaNews that these illegal structures will be removed soon. After the evacuation, the implementation of the modern tourist center that was supposed to be built around this beach will also begin. A plan has been made accordingly.

Bangladesh Time: 1330 hours, April 23, 2024
PD/TC