Recreational Sites in Ctg: Visitors scarce upon reopening

Recreational destinations of the port city were reopened on Saturday after five months, but visitors were few and far between as fear of infection still remains. Moreover, the weather has not been favourable.

All tourist sites were closed on March 18 by Chattogram District Administration due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country. It decided to open the sites on August 22 as the "pandemic situation in the city has improved."

The administration, however, imposed 16 conditions on the sites' management with adherence to health guidelines, according to officials of Chattogram District Administration.    

On the spot yesterday, it was seen that some twenty visitors were in Foy's Lake Amusement Park in the morning. The staff of the park were seen instructing visitors to follow health guidelines.

Visitors had to wash their hands at a basin at the entrance of the park and wearing a face mask was a must for everybody.

"We emphasised on maintaining health guideline as per the government's instruction," said Bishwajit Ghosh, deputy manager (marketing) of Concord Foy's Lake Amusement Park.

"Although the park has opened after five months, turnout of visitors is still very low due to incessant rainfall," he said, "Only 50 people visited the park on Saturday."

Shamsunnahar came to the park with her seven-year-old daughter and younger sister yesterday.

 "We were bored staying at the house for months. As the amusement park has opened, we have come here for recreation," she told The Daily Star. 

Turnout of visitors was also very poor in Swadhinata Complex, another tourists'  site in the city, which is popularly known as Mini Bangladesh.  

The park also put emphasis on maintaining health rules, with a sign saying "no mask, no entry" displayed at the entrance.

Staff of the complex were seen checking the body temperature of visitors with infra red thermometre at the entrance.

Trisha Dey and her husband  Mukul Dutta visited the park yesterday. "I feel very relaxed to be here after five months," said Trisha. She said she was happy to see the

precautionary measures taken by the park authority.

"Turnout of visitors is very low in first two days due to rough weather and risk of infection," said Mohammad Ali, manager of Swadhinata Complex. 

"All the health guidelines are strictly being followed in the park," he said, "We check the body temperature of every visitor and make them sanitise their hands."

"We also sanitise all rides after every round to ensure safety of visitors," he added.

Ali expected an increase in the number of visitors in the days to come.

Same situation prevailed in Chattogram Zoo. The zoo opened yesterday (Sunday) after five months but  turnout of visitors was very low. .on the first day.    

"We are trying our best to maintain health guidelines strictly," said Shahadat Hossain Shuvo, veterinary surgeon  of the zoo.

"We are not allowing any visitor without face mask and are regularly announcing inside the zoo asking visitors to maintain social distancing," he added.

Contacted, Ilias Hossain, deputy commissioner of Chattogram, said they decided to open the tourist destinations with 16 conditions on maintaining health guideline.

When asked how they decided that the outbreak situation has improved, the DC said according to statistics, there is improvement.

"Number of Covid-19 positive cases was 300-400 a day even a month ago but the number dropped  down to double digit nowadays," he said, "But we have no other way but to maintain health guidelines strictly if we want to prevent the situation from deteriorating again."