The tourism sector in Sylhet has been hit hard, suffering losses of around Tk 100 crore due to a sharp decline in visitors. This downturn is a result of the ongoing unrest from the student-led anti-discrimination movement, coupled with the devastation caused by three major floods in the region.
Tourism operators in Sylhet report that the sector was completely stagnant for two years due to Covid-19. Just as it began to recover, the 2022 floods dealt a severe blow to the industry. Before it could fully recover, the sector has now been hit hard by three more rounds of flooding and the quota reform movement.
Considering the losses, the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industries estimates that the tourism sector in the Sylhet region has suffered losses exceeding Tk 100 to 150 crore.
Sylhet's tourist destinations are typically bustling with visitors year-round, making it almost impossible to find an available room in hotels or motels. Most reservations are booked well in advance. However, this year the situation is completely different.
In the past two months, beginning with the last Eid-ul-Azha, Sylhet has experienced three consecutive floods, followed by the quota reform movement. These events have caused a significant decline in the region's tourism sector.
With the absence of tourists, hotels, motels, and resorts in Sylhet are left vacant. This has dealt a severe blow to the region's tourism sector, placing entrepreneurs in this industry at significant risk.
Jaflong, one of Sylhet's most renowned tourist attractions in the Gowainghat Upazila, is usually bustling with visitors. However, since Eid, this popular destination has been closed to the public.
Tourists typically access the main attraction of Jaflong through the cluster village. The influx of visitors has led to the establishment of over a hundred permanent and temporary businesses in the area.
However, due to the current situation in the country, nearly all these businesses, except for a few, have shut down. Even those that remain open have no customers.
Abdur Rahim, who works as a photographer for tourists visiting Jaflong, said, "Since Eid, no tourists have come. With no tourists, we are almost out of work."
Babul Ahmed, the owner of Green Resort in the area, said, "No guests have visited the resort in the past two months. We once faced a similar situation during the Covid-19 pandemic. Other than that, we had never experienced such a downturn before."
Mohammad Hossain Mia, president of the Jaflong Tourism Business Association, said, “Our business relies entirely on tourists. There are about 600 businesses in Jaflong alone. Not only Jaflong but also all tourist spots in Sylhet are facing a crisis.”
During a recent visit, it was evident that the usual monsoon influx of tourists was absent. Typically, this time of year draws visitors eager to experience the breath-taking beauty of hills, waterfalls, haor wetlands, and rivers.
However, this year, popular Tourist spots such as Tanguar Haor, Niladri Lake, Lakma Chhara, Barika Tila, Jadukata River, Shimul Bagan, Sada Pathor, Ratar Rgul, Lalakhal, and Bichanakandi remained eerily empty. The owners, employees, and their families at these establishments are facing significant hardship.
This year, with Eid coinciding with the monsoon season, tourism operators had hoped for a large influx of tourists. However, the floods and the unrest amid student’s movement in the country have dashed those hopes.
Young entrepreneurs who invested heavily in building houseboats in Sunamganj haor area, have been particularly hard-hit.
Amit Roy, one such entrepreneur, shared his plight, “We built two houseboats, Mangal and Chi Mangal, in 2022 at a cost of Tk 40 lakh. We earned Tk 17 lakh in the first season alone. Encouraged by this, we built a new houseboat, The Ark, in 2024. But this year, the floods have driven away tourists, leading to significant losses.”
Amit further added that he is not alone in facing this financial strain. Many other entrepreneurs in the area are also struggling to stay afloat as tourist numbers plummet.
While the local administration had temporarily closed all tourist spots in mid-June due to the floods, these sites have since reopened as conditions improved. However, the damage had already been done.
The countrywide curfew imposed during the previous government’s tenure also discouraged travel, leaving nearly 400 houseboats docked idly at Shahebbari, Mallikpur, Launch Ghat, and Achintapur ghats along the Surma River.
In addition, many potential visitors cancelled their trips, further exacerbating the economic downturn in the region.
According to the Sylhet Hotel, Motel, and Resort Owners Association, there are over 500 hotels and motels in Sylhet district, most of which are now completely empty.
President Sumit Nuri Jewel said, "Due to the floods and student protests, the entire region is experiencing a shortage of tourists and a downturn in the tourism sector. Even large hotels and resorts offering discounts of 60-70 per cent are not attracting guests."
Tahmin Ahmed, president of the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce, added, "Not only hotels and motels but also a rickshaw driver and a clothing retailer in Sylhet are suffering due to the lack of tourists. In places like Srimangal and Jaflong, business is entirely dependent on tourism. Moreover, this is supposed to be the peak tourist season in Sylhet."
