Tawhidul Islam, Cox's Bazar 

Due to a depression formed over the Bay of Bengal, the sea has become rough, with tidal waters rising 4 to 5 feet above normal levels. Under these circumstances, massive waves are relentlessly striking the Jhau forest and geobags along the Cox’s Bazar beach. As a result, seaside businesses have been shut down, with jet skis and beach umbrellas (kitkats) pulled up to the shore for safety.

On Thursday (May 29) at around 10:30 AM, the sea was seen to be extremely turbulent. Waves crashed over the geobags, striking the Jhau forest beyond. Tourists sitting on the geobags were also being knocked down by the waves. While many visitors wanted to get into the water, the sight of the enormous waves kept them away. Instead, some took photographs with the roaring waves in the background before leaving. Many others enjoyed the fierce sea view from a distance.

Rashid Ahmed, a tourist from Dhaka, said, “I’ve been in Cox’s Bazar for the past two days, but the sea wasn’t this rough. Today, it’s incredibly wild. There’s no way to get into the water — it feels like the waves would just sweep you away.”

Another tourist, Mohammad Emdad, commented, “I’ve never seen the sea like this before. Such massive waves — it’s stunning to watch from afar. I wanted to swim, but the lifeguards didn’t allow it.”

Beach lifeguard Mohammad Shukkur said, “The sea becomes especially rough during high tide, with water levels rising 4 to 5 feet. Although many tourists wish to swim, no one is being allowed into the water due to the turbulent conditions. The tourist police, lifeguards, and beach workers are all working together to ensure safety, continuously warning visitors to stay cautious.”

Meanwhile, the adverse weather has severely affected seaside businesses, including jet ski operators, beach bike riders, photographers, and kitkat (beach umbrella) vendors. The large waves have forced jet skis to be hauled ashore, and seating kitkats have also been removed from the beach.

Jet ski operator Forman said, “The waves are enormous, so we’ve had to pull all the jet skis up to the shore. Business is practically shut down.”

Kitkat vendor Rana added, “From Laboni Point to Sugandha and Shaibal Points, hundreds of kitkats have been removed from the beach. Business has been halted, and now we’re just sitting safely.”

Around 11:00 AM, heavy rainfall began, sending tourists running in all directions. While some got soaked in the rain, others sought shelter. Along with the downpour came strong winds, blowing away debris and litter, and threatening to topple trees. The entire area became shrouded in dark clouds.

According to Md. Abdul Hannan, Assistant Meteorologist at Cox’s Bazar Meteorological Office, “In the past 24 hours (as of 9:00 AM), Cox’s Bazar has recorded 91 millimeters of rainfall. Heavy to very heavy rain is likely today and tomorrow, with light to moderate rainfall expected to continue for another one to two days afterward.”