The Deadly Cost of Negligence and Administrative Failure at Tup Tup Resort

Cox’s Bazar Sea Beach is the most popular tourist destination among domestic travellers. This year, the Durga Puja celebrations come with several consecutive days of government holidays. And during this holiday stretch, travel enthusiasts are flocking to tourist destinations in their own ways. From what I have observed, Cox’s Bazar, the country’s famed beach city, has drawn the largest number of tourists during this year’s Puja holidays and people are still heading there. As far as I know, Cox’s Bazar will remain packed with tourists until the 24th. Hotels and motels are fully booked. It is estimated that by October 24, the footprints of at least 1.5 million tourists will have marked the sands of Cox’s Bazar Sea Beach.

In tourism terminology, this kind of travel is known as mass tourism. Mass tourism stands in contrast to sustainable tourism and it is precisely for this reason that mass tourism is increasingly falling out of favour. In various parts of the world, local communities have even been seen taking a stand against it.

From media reports, I have learned that the fire at Tup Tup Resort in Inani has claimed the lives of 10 tourists so far. Various sources suggest that the death toll may rise further. This tragic incident occurred in the early hours of October 17, 2026.

The resort, built entirely of wood, had just eight rooms. It was constructed about three years ago, approximately 28 kilometers south of Cox’s Bazar town, beside Marine Drive near Patuartek Beach in Jaliapalong Union, Ukhiya. The motel primarily attracts tourists through online marketing. Nor are its tariffs particularly cheap.

Jabed Ahmed

Yet this eco-resort had been operating without the approval of the relevant authorities. No fire safety certificate, fire extinguishers, warning signals, fire hoses, or fire safety plan. Not even the bare minimum. And all the while, right under the administration’s nose, the resort was doing brisk business.

According to newspaper reports, the Fire Service Department had identified the resort as a fire hazard last June. The management, however, paid no heed to the warning and continued business as usual.

From the statement of the Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner, I learned that permission to operate a resort must be obtained from the Cox’s Bazar Development Authority. Tourism businesses in the district have also revealed that there are more eco-resorts of this kind and many of them operate without licences. You would be hard-pressed to spot even the most basic safety arrangements at these establishments. And yet, they continue to do business.

It is hardly difficult to assume that these lawbreaking businesses have managed to stay afloat year after year by paying regular monthly cuts to the authorities concerned. Bangladesh has a comprehensive law governing the establishment and operation of hotels and motels, known as the Hotel and Restaurant Act, 2014. Guesthouses, motels, resorts, rest houses and similar establishments all fall within the Act’s definition of a hotel.

Section 4 of the Act states that Deputy Commissioners are responsible for serving as regulators under the law. It also allows the government to assign regulatory responsibilities to other officials through a gazette notification. The authority to issue, renew, suspend, withdraw, or cancel licences for hotels rated up to two stars, as well as all restaurants, rests with the Deputy Commissioner.

For various reasons, Deputy Commissioners have been unable to discharge the responsibilities entrusted to them. Taking advantage of this inaction, a section of unscrupulous businesspeople are getting away with building hotels and resorts by whatever means necessary, with little regard for standards or safety.

And when an accident occurs because of their negligence and mismanagement, everyone suddenly becomes busy shifting the blame onto someone else.

Ten tourists lost their lives in the Tup Tup Resort fire because of negligence and mismanagement. Who will take responsibility for their deaths? Since this tragedy occurred as a result of administrative failure, the government itself must accept responsibility. And how can the district administration possibly be absolved of its share of the blame?

The Tup Tup Resort fire broke out in the morning. Among the guests staying at the resort, the older ones had gone to the beach for their morning walks. The younger guests were still asleep. What began as a smouldering fire in the kitchen quickly spread throughout the entire resort, fanned by the powerful sea breeze. Ten tourists were burned to death.

Six of the deceased belonged to the same family. I cannot begin to imagine how that family will bear such grief.

I read in the newspapers that the country’s Tourism Minister expressed sorrow over the untimely deaths of the tourists and instructed officials of the Tourism Board to visit the scene.

Honourable Minister, that is simply not enough. You need to dig much deeper. If we are to reduce this grim procession of deaths, some concrete measures must be taken.

Exploiting loopholes in the law, influential individuals are building resorts indiscriminately under the banner of eco-resorts, often using flimsy, unsafe structures. They are doing brisk business, forming unholy alliances with the relevant authorities and putting human lives at risk.

You must take these people on. Whatever it takes, good governance must be established in these cases.

People spend their hard-earned money to visit tourist destinations with their families, seeking joy, recreation and a break from the monotony of their mechanical, everyday lives. Tourists may reasonably assume that destinations remain safe and free from undue risks under the direct supervision of the relevant destination management authorities.

The Tup Tup tragedy will leave a bitter impression in the minds of travellers. It will damage the destination’s image.

It is worth remembering that a positive image of a particular destination helps attract tourists. If that image turns negative, tourists will stay away, no matter how many facilities are added or how much infrastructure is developed there.

Everyone involved in the Tup Tup fire and the mismanagement that led to it must be brought to justice and given exemplary punishment. Within the next month, all resorts similar to Tup Tup must be shut down.

I pray for the forgiveness of the souls of Faria Kabir, her five-year-old son Faizain Noor, Nabila’s brother Nasiruddin and her three sisters, Israt Jahan Maliha, Laila Jahan Nabila and Milita Mehezabin Alvi, along with all the others who lost their lives in the Tup Tup fire. May their souls rest in peace. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families.

The writer is former Chief Executive Officer, Bangladesh Tourism Board