Govt plans health centres at sea beaches for tourists
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister said revising existing policies is essential to strengthen tourist safety measures at sea beaches
ATT Correspondent 
The government is planning to establish health centres at sea beaches in Cox’s Bazar and Patuakhali to ensure the safety and emergency medical support for tourists, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam said on Thursday.
The announcement came during a meeting held at the conference room of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism in Dhaka with representatives of the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB) and the UK-based donor organisation Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), which jointly operate the sea-safe lifeguard service at Cox’s Bazar beach.
Speaking at the meeting, the minister said revising existing policies is essential to strengthen tourist safety measures at sea beaches.
She also directed the deputy commissioners of Cox’s Bazar and Patuakhali to send proposals to the ministry as soon as possible for establishing the proposed health centres.
State Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat said initiatives would be taken to increase the number of Tourist Police personnel deployed at tourist destinations.
He also stressed the need to increase the number of lifeguards providing safety services at sea beaches.
“To continue lifeguard operations, CSR funds will be collected from now. Considering future needs, we will build permanent infrastructure,” he said.
Among others, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism Fahmida Akhter, the chairman of Bangladesh Tourism Corporation and senior officials from the ministry, CIPRB and RNLI attended the meeting.
According to officials, the Sea-Safe Lifeguard Service has been operating at Cox’s Bazar sea beach since 2012 under the management of CIPRB with financial support from RNLI.
