Brutality Against Nature in the Name of Cox’s Bazar Marine Drive Expansion: Locals and Tourists Raise Concern

Shihab Moin/ PNN Cox's Bazar Desk:  Cox’s Bazar, home to the world’s longest natural sea beach, relies heavily on its trees to preserve ecological balance and scenic beauty. Yet that very nature is now under threat as thousands of decades-old trees are being indiscriminately cut down under the banner of the 'Marine Drive Road Expansion Project'.

The naturally grown fruit-bearing, forest, and flowering trees not only maintained environmental balance but also protected the coastline and hillside areas from natural disasters. Locals report that cutting down these trees has already triggered environmental hazards such as frequent landslides and beach erosion.

Residents say that a significant number of trees were already felled during the previous phase of the road construction—damage that has not yet been recovered. Now, more trees are being cleared. Gofur Chacha, an 85-year-old resident of Shamlapur in Teknaf, told PNN, “Before we could even recover from the last destruction, they’ve started cutting trees again. On top of that, unplanned hotels and resorts are causing major damage to forests and farmlands. If this continues, Cox’s Bazar will lose its natural character.”

Tourists, too, are voicing concern. According to them, destroying nature in the name of development will ultimately harm the tourism industry itself. Without trees, neither nature nor people can survive.

Environmental activists warn that the unplanned tree felling along the 80-kilometer stretch of Marine Drive poses a serious risk to future generations. Given Bangladesh’s high population density and low tree coverage, cutting trees without simultaneous reforestation is being called a suicidal act.