Dhaka, April 2 — Over time, Eid has transformed from being solely an occasion to visit one’s hometown into a crucial timeframe for domestic travel and tourism.
However, both the broader audience and sector specialists contend that Eid tourism in Bangladesh has grown limited and repetitive.
Nazrul Islam, a 55-year-old high-ranking official at a corporation, had originally intended to go overseas during the Eid holiday.
Nevertheless, he eventually chose to remain in Bangladesh.
Even so, he does not plan to travel anywhere inside the country or even venture out into Dhaka on Eid day.
Rather than doing anything else, he intends to dedicate all of his time to being with his family.
When questioned about his reasoning, he responded, “Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that most festivals in our nation adhere to a similar structure. On Eid day, following the dawn prayer and a communal meal, what typically occurs? People usually head either to a relative’s home, a public garden, or an eating establishment.”
This predetermined Eid celebration, which recurs annually, doesn’t take place in large foreign cities. Even venturing outside of Dhaka proves pointless—after several hours, you’re worn out from witnessing the unchanging scenery.
Mossabber Hossain, who is 72 years old, shares memories of Eid festivities in Dhaka, stating, “In those days, each neighborhood had fairs, there were boat races in Old Dhaka, and horse racing took place in open fields. However, nowadays, Eid mostly involves walking in parks and eating at restaurants.”
A tourism surge is anticipated in Khagrachari during the Eid holidays.
A Metropolis Driven by Commerce, Lacking Celebration
Adil Muhammad Khan, who serves as the president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), pointed out the constraints of Eid celebrations in Dhaka by saying, “The city has grown increasingly commercialized to such an extent that space for non-commercial leisure activities has been significantly reduced.”
A number of areas where fairs used to take place no longer remain today. The waterways designed for boating activities have been overtaken. Bodies of water have been reclaimed to make way for massive office towers, and as a result, eateries inside these structures now serve as focal points for Eid celebrations.
Even public spaces like parks have not escaped this change. If you go to Dhanmondi Lake nowadays, it might seem as though the focus has shifted from the water body itself to the many eateries that now line its shores. There appears to be no vision for an energetic Dhaka. People staying in the city during Eid find themselves stuck in monotonous festivities.
A Dull Encounter Outside of Dhaka
Humayun Rashid, aged 32, went to Cox’s Bazar with his family during the last Eid holiday.
He felt let down by his experience. “Cox’s Bazar can be explored thoroughly within just two days. Anything beyond the beach, such as boat tours, parachute flying, and horseback riding, tends to be overly priced and seems fraudulent.”
He remarked, “Once visitors recognize they are continually taken advantage of, they start losing faith in those locations. During last Eid, approximately 800,000 travelers descended upon Cox’s Bazar. The shore became as packed as a busy fish bazaar in Dhaka. Room rates at hotels surged dramatically, and basic meals were priced multiple times higher than normal. Who would wish to revisit an area like this?”
Tulilia’s Tulip: Enhancing Tourism and Regional Economy
Even though there are complaints, hotels in Cox’s Bazar have already secured bookings of more than 80% for this Eid, with the few available spots anticipated to be taken soon. Nevertheless, numerous travelers continue to express dissatisfaction regarding the increased costs. A tourist named Faisal was searching for a hotel room when he discovered that an average priced, air-conditioned room designed for couples and overlooking the ocean was being charged between Tk 8,000 and Tk 9,000—a price nearly twice as high as normal rates.
Murshid Hossain, who previously managed a hotel in Cox’s Bazar and now serves as a general manager at a three-star hotel in Dhaka, stated, “Hotels find it difficult to occupy their rooms during the low season despite providing discounts greater than 50%. Therefore, to ensure business sustainability and cover employee wages, they have to increase prices significantly when tourism peaks.”
An Unprepared Tourism Industry
Professor Muhammad Shoaib-Ur-Rahman from Dhaka University’s Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management feels that Bangladesh’s tourism sector is inadequately prepared.
Each year, we’re told that around 1.5 million travelers visit various locations during Eid; however, there isn’t any verified information supporting this statement. Without basing our development of tourist attractions on actual attendance figures and reconsidering what defines enjoyable experiences, genuine progress won’t occur,” he stated.
Travel limitations eased in 4 Bandarban upazilas
He further explained, “Tourists often go to Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban just once or twice and seldom come back. In contrast, locations such as Bali or Bangkok tend to draw returning guests. The main factor behind this difference is that Bangladesh’s travel spots provide a limited variety of experiences. Overseas, tourism combines natural beauty with human ingenuity to produce multiple points of interest. It takes more than couple of days to truly see all that Bangkok has to offer, whereas one could easily complete sightseeing in Cox’s Bazar within a brief period.”
He cautioned that uncontrolled price increases and cartels are adversely affecting both travelers and residents. “Since tourism drives up the prices of essentials, locals begin to view tourists unfavorably. This growing resentment might ultimately result in security issues.”