Govt plans three-month tourism celebration from 1 Nov

The Bangladesh Tourism Corporation is organising a three-month tourism carnival in Cox’s Bazar from 1 November to 31 January next year, with the aim of attracting more foreign tourists and offering visitors a wider range of activities beyond the beach.
The Cox’s Bazar Tourism Carnival 2026, the first such event in the country’s premier tourism destination, will be held at the beach and surrounding areas of Hotel Shaibal, said Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation Chairman Md Shamimuzzaman at a media briefing at Parjatan Bhaban in Agargaon on Wednesday.
The carnival will be organised by the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation and managed by Spellbound Communications Ltd.
Cox’s Bazar has seen an increase in tourist arrivals throughout the year in recent years, but the number of foreign visitors has not increased significantly, according to the organisers.
They said visitors often complain that there are limited entertainment and recreational activities after enjoying the beach, particularly in the evening. The carnival is intended to address this gap by offering day-and-night activities for tourists.
The three-month event will feature a food zone offering local and international cuisine, live food stalls, barbecues, ice cream and juice; a market zone and craft village showcasing clothing, jewellery, pottery and locally made handicrafts; and a wellness zone offering yoga and meditation at sunrise.
A kids’ zone will provide art activities, rides and other entertainment, while a camping zone will offer overnight camping, an open-air library, self-barbecue facilities, hammocks, campfires and stargazing through telescopes.

Other attractions will include live art and photography exhibitions, an open-air cinema, a VR zone, a circus tent, kayaking, live busking, go-karting and various beach sports, including football, handball, volleyball, kabaddi and badminton. Visitors will also be able to see sand sculptures.
The programme will also include celebrations marking Victory Day, Christmas and New Year.
A beach-view open theatre will host the “Wave of Music” programme, offering visitors live music against the backdrop of the sea and sunset.
Speaking at the briefing, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation Chairman Md Shamimuzzaman said the carnival was being organised to present Bangladesh’s leading tourism destination in a more diverse and attractive way to both domestic and foreign visitors.
He said the event particularly aimed to increase foreign tourist arrivals by presenting Cox’s Bazar in a new and distinctive way.
The chairman expressed hope that the three-month programme would allow tourists to enjoy not only the sea but also a range of sports and entertainment activities during the day and at night.
He also expected the carnival to create local employment and contribute to the socio-economic development of the area.
The event would help rebrand Cox’s Bazar as a vibrant, diverse, safe, sustainable and international-standard tourism destination, he said.
Md Goni-ul Azam, director of the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, who chaired the briefing, said the organisers wanted to add a new dimension to the tourism experience in Cox’s Bazar.
“The sea, sunset and casuarina forest will remain, but food, music, sports, culture, creativity, adventure and family entertainment will be added to the experience,” he said.
Spellbound Communications Ltd Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Sadequl Arefeen presented an outline of the carnival at the briefing.
Officials of the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation and representatives of Spellbound Communications Ltd were present at the event.

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