Power outages drive tourists away from Cox’s Bazar during Eid rush

Dhaka: Frequent power cuts and extreme heat are disrupting holidays in Cox’s Bazar, forcing some tourists to cut their trips short despite the Eid travel season bringing large crowds to Bangladesh’s most popular beach destination.

Visitors have reported long periods without electricity, leaving hotels struggling to operate air conditioning, fans, and elevators. Several tourists said, they became trapped in elevators during outages, while others complained of spending hours in uncomfortable conditions due to the heat.

Hotel owners and business operators said, the crisis has significantly increased operating costs as they rely heavily on generators to maintain services. Some establishments report spending tens of thousands of taka daily on diesel, while early checkouts and booking cancellations are adding to financial losses.

According to local power officials, the disruptions began after a major power transformer at a Cox’s Bazar substation malfunctioned on Eid day. Authorities have redirected electricity through other substations, but supply remains limited, resulting in scheduled load shedding across the city and hotel zone.

The power department estimates that Cox’s Bazar currently requires around 50 megawatts of electricity each day but is receiving only about 40 megawatts. Officials expect repair work to be completed within the next few days and said that normal service should gradually return.

Business leaders warned that prolonged outages could damage the city’s tourism reputation, especially during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.