Sohrab Hossain

In the quiet village of Purbo Atkhali in Patuakhali’s Galachipa upazila, 82-year-old Sirajul Islam Hawladar is known among all for planting trees -- his lifelong passion.

The tourism industry of Bangladesh has been hit hard by the ongoing political unrest as people are unwilling to travel for fear of violence amid strikes and blockades across the country, according to businesspeople.

Jagabandhu Mishtanna Bhandar, located in the New Market area of Patuakhali’s Kalapara, has been a place of delight for people in the region for nearly a century. 

Art has no limit, and Zakir Hossain Munshi, a fisherman by profession, is an example of this statement.

In Bangladesh, the peak season for the tourism and hospitality sector begins in September and continues until March. And the upcoming long weekend is going to provide an initial boost to the sector, with operators in major holiday destinations coming up with various offers.

In Bangladesh, the peak season for the tourism and hospitality sector begins in September and continues until March. And the upcoming long weekend is going to provide an initial boost to the sector, with operators in major holiday destinations coming up with various offers.

Around 15 tonnes of non-biodegradable waste are dumped into the Bay of Bengal by fishermen of Patuakhali every year, says a study. 

The Payra sea port’s first terminal is expected to be up and running by October, facilitating transport of goods from mother vessels and speeding up operations in the country’s third major seaport. 

A fish landing station in the Mahipur area under the Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali remains unused although two years have passed since the facility was built at a cost of Tk 13 crore.

The construction of an export processing zone (EPZ) in Patuakhali will begin soon after all land acquisition costs are cleared within the next one month or so, according to project officials.

The Patuakhali-Kuakata highway, a common route for tourists to visit Kuakata beach, has become unusable in recent times due to numerous potholes. Passenger, tourist buses and other vehicles are plying this road daily with the risk of accidents ever lurking.

After waiting for 19 years, all Motaleb Mridha wants is to see the killers of his eldest son punished.

Heavy rain over the last few days has caused waterlogging in different areas of Patuakhali, severely damaging Aman seedbeds.

Patuakhali’s Baufal Upazila Health Complex is in a terrible shape due to the dilapidated four two-storey buildings of the complex, along with a lack of specialised physicians.

As many as 147 iron bridges out of 200 have been unusable in Barguna for a long time due to a lack of maintenance and repair, causing immense suffering to thousands of locals.

Eight illegal dams, built for fish cultivation, have caused waterlogging in 500 acres of agricultural land in the Patuakhali Sadar upazila. As a result, Aman cultivation in the area has been disrupted.

Another 1,320MW coal-based thermal power plant is in progress in Patuakhali’s Kalapara area. The first of its two units (660MW each) will come on stream in June 2024 and the second unit in October.

The Shuvo Sandhya Beach in Barguna’s Taltali upazila has been facing serious erosion by the Bay for the last couple of years.

A bunch of students in uniforms attending lectures under a tree -- this is what this correspondent saw when he first stepped inside Uttar Tiakhali Government Primary School in Barguna’s Amtali upazila.

“The terminal is full of potholes, all of which transform into ditches following drizzles. Speeding vehicles often spill that water on our clothes,” shared Abdul Halim, a local who frequently commutes through the Patuakhali central bus terminal.