Gazipur tourism sector hit by labour unrest

Labour unrest in Gazipur’s industrial areas has dealt a blow to the tourism sector, reducing visitor numbers and forcing resorts to cancel advance bookings and corporate events.

Security concerns and disruptions to road traffic have discouraged tourists from visiting resorts, entertainment centres and the Safari Park, causing financial losses for tourism businesses.

Officials of several resorts and tourist attractions said on Saturday (November 7) that visitor numbers had dropped significantly, even during the peak tourist season.

At Dream Square Resort in Sreepur, around 98 per cent of planned events were cancelled or postponed due to security concerns, including programmes organised by major organisations such as HSBC and UNICEF. The cancelled events involved nearly Tk 1 crore.

The Gazipur Safari Park has also witnessed a sharp decline in visitors, with attendance falling to less than half of its usual level and nearly reaching zero at one point.

Advance bookings at Salna Tourism Resort and Picnic Spot have also been postponed, while Bhawal National Park has seen fewer visitors over the past week.

Tourism operators said road disruptions, security concerns and public anxiety have severely affected the sector's business.

-AJM