Why fire incidents recur in tourist lodges across country

A series of fires at resorts and cottages in Bangladesh’s tourist destinations has raised serious concerns over visitor safety. Inadequate firefighting facilities, unauthorised structures, insufficient emergency exits and weak monitoring are putting the country’s tourism industry at risk. The concerns have intensified following a devastating fire at TupTup Resort and Restaurant, Inani, Cox’s Bazar, on October 17, which reportedly killed 10 people, including a child.

A number of fire incidents have occurred in recent years in popular tourist destinations, including Sajek Valley, Saint Martin’s Island and Cox’s Bazar, destroying resorts, cottages, restaurants and other structures. On January 14, 2025, fires broke out at three resorts on Saint Martin’s Island�"Beach Valley, Kingshuk and Sayari Eco Resort. On February 24, 2025, a fire damaged 94�"95 structures in Sajek Valley, including resorts, cottages, houses and shops. A fire at Pacific Beach Lounge Eco Resort in Cox’s Bazar on May 22 this year destroyed three cottages and a storeroom.

Sajek also experienced major fires in December 2021, January 2022 and February 2024. The February 2025 blaze reportedly spread extensively because firefighting efforts were delayed by the absence of a Fire Service station in the area, while unplanned construction and inadequate safety arrangements compounded the damage.

Cox’s Bazar, home to the world’s longest sea beach, has witnessed rapid construction of hotels and multi-storey buildings. The 32.90-square-kilometre municipal town has more than 3,500 multi-storey buildings, including over 400 between Kalatali and Laboni Beach. Stakeholders estimate that around 90 per cent of buildings in tourism zones, along Marine Drive and across the town lack adequate firefighting arrangements and environmental clearance.

More than 4,000 multi-storey buildings, including hotels and motels, are reportedly exposed to fire risks. Across the district, more than 1,000 hotels, motels, resorts, cottages and restaurants operate in Cox’s Bazar town, Pechar Dwip in Ramu and Inani in Ukhiya and surrounding areas. Many reportedly operate with only trade licences issued by local municipalities or union councils, without obtaining all required approvals.

The TupTup Resort fire has highlighted these regulatory failures. Built largely with wood and bamboo, the resort reportedly lacked a fire safety licence, environmental clearance, approval from the Cox’s Bazar Development Authority (CDA) and the required business authorisation from the district administration. 

Brigadier General Sultanul Afreen Junaid, director general of Fire Service and Civil Defence, said the resort had been identified as a high-risk establishment during an inspection in June and was served a notice on June 11. Despite the warning, it continued operating without a fire safety licence, with deficiencies in firefighting equipment and other essential safety arrangements.

Around 250 establishments along Cox’s Bazar�"Teknaf Marine Drive have reportedly been served notices to regularise their status. CDA Chairman Engineer Jasim Uddin said verification was taking time because of the large number of establishments. More than 250 businesses had received notices following preliminary checks, and authorities planned to issue final notices before conducting eviction drives through executive magistrates.

Abul Kashem Sikder, president of the Cox’s Bazar Hotel and Guest House Owners Association, said most hotels listed with the association had the necessary approvals, but many resorts and cottages operated without complying with regulations. Fire Service licensing inspector Shafiqul Islam said only 50 hotels had renewed their fire licences this year, although around 100 applications had been submitted. 

Environmental compliance is another concern. Khondaker Mahmud Morshed, deputy director of the Department of Environment in Cox’s Bazar, said no more than 50 hotels in the district had environmental clearance. Last year, 58 hotels, motels, restaurants, resorts and cottages were fined a combined Tk 1.5 crore for environmental violations. 

Toufique Rahman, secretary general of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Bangladesh, said Cox’s Bazar could not achieve its ambition of becoming an international tourism destination without adequate safety standards. He warned that further tragedies could damage Bangladesh’s tourism image internationally.

Mukim Khan, general secretary of the Cox’s Bazar Hotel-Motel-Resort Owners Association, said safety requirements should apply consistently to all establishments, not just star-rated hotels.
 
Belal Abedin, member secretary of the Cox’s Bazar Citizens’ Movement, said authorities could not evade responsibility by citing missing approvals after 10 people had died. Advocate Wahid Rubel, coordinator of the Cox’s Bazar Development Movement, questioned why the administration lacked an accurate count of accommodation establishments despite several tourism-related committees. Md Rezaul Karim, president of the Cox’s Bazar Tourist Club, called for an investigation into how unlicensed establishments had continued operating for years.

Additional District Magistrate Tasnim Jahan said establishments lacking fire-resistant doors, functioning smoke detectors, sufficient extinguishers, adequate firefighting arrangements or final Fire Service certification were being instructed to take immediate corrective measures, with strict action threatened against those failing to comply.

Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner MA Mannan acknowledged that many hotels, guest houses, resorts and cottages lacked necessary approvals. He said a committee comprising Fire Service and Civil Defence, the Department of Environment, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, CDA and the district administration had been formed to recommend measures to the Ministry of Tourism.