A decade later, Sabrang Tourism Park development stalls at just 10-15%

Sabrang Tourism Park Faces Long Wait as Core Infrastructure Lags

Bdbusinessdaily.com – Nearly 10 years after work began on the Sabrang Tourism Park in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, the planned destination remains far from ready for visitors and investors. Although the project was intended to draw tourists, support major private investment and create thousands of jobs, only an estimated 10% to 15% of its overall infrastructure has been completed.

The development was launched by the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority in 2016 and is now administered under the Invest Bangladesh Authority. Land preparation and allotment have moved ahead, but the facilities needed for hotels, resorts and other tourism businesses are still largely absent. Internal roads, drainage systems, reliable water supply, electricity connections and other utilities have not been completed.

That delay has left many companies unable to begin construction despite signing leases and committing funds to the project.

Land Lost to Coastal Erosion

The park was initially planned across 967 acres, but coastal erosion has substantially reduced the usable area. On Friday, Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar said that only around 500 acres of the nearly 1,000 acres originally envisaged remained, with the rest having been swallowed by the sea after protective steps were not taken in time.

Sattar visited different sections of the park, reviewed development activity and discussed infrastructure and tourism facilities with officials. He said the government now intends to turn the remaining land into a world-class tourism hub.

A permanent protective embankment is central to that ambition. Without it, the site remains exposed to the coastal conditions that have already reduced its footprint. A Development Project Proposal has been prepared under a project titled “Infrastructure Development of Sabrang Tourism Park,” and it is being processed by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Officials expect the embankment itself could require roughly three years to build after approval. Separate schemes would then be needed to provide the remaining permanent infrastructure.

Millions in Proposed Investment Remain on Hold

Private-sector interest in Sabrang has been substantial. Twenty-eight investors have proposed combined investment of $377.71 million. Lease agreements have been completed with 23 companies, while five others are still waiting to finalize their agreements.

A total of 111.49 acres has been assigned for proposed hotels, resorts, cottages, restaurants and related tourism facilities. The investor group includes Bangladeshi businesses as well as overseas companies from the Netherlands and Singapore.

Lizard Sports BV of the Netherlands has leased 0.66 acres for a project valued at $8.76 million. Singapore-based Inter-Asia Group Pte Ltd has leased 40 acres, with a planned investment of $90 million. Yet the absence of basic on-site services has prevented most leaseholders from moving from plans to construction.

For businesses, the delays have carried a direct financial cost. Investors have said that money has remained committed for years while the exchange rate has made outstanding payments more expensive. Some noted that payments were made when the US dollar was valued near Tk90, compared with roughly Tk125 to Tk126 now.

Several investors have also said that overseas partners have become less interested as the project timetable continued to slip. They have asked Invest Bangladesh to consider the heavier financial burden created by the taka’s depreciation.

East West Travels and Tours Ltd is among the companies waiting to proceed. It signed a lease to develop a hotel with a proposed investment of $2.72 million.

“The government should develop the tourism park in a coordinated manner and ensure the necessary infrastructure is put in place. We have been waiting for three years, but we have been unable to start construction because the required infrastructure has not yet been developed,” said Mahamudul Hossain Suva, director of the company.

Basic Services Remain the Main Barrier

Authorities have completed land development and earth-filling work, but those steps alone have not made the site suitable for tourism facilities. A resort or hotel requires access, drainage, utilities and protection from coastal risks before major construction can reasonably begin.

Officials have identified the missing internal roads, drainage, water, electricity and other utility connections as the principal obstacles holding back investors. Between eight and 10 investors have expressed interest in building temporary facilities within the next one to two years, but permanent projects depend on broader government-funded infrastructure work.

The long delay has been linked to a combination of land-acquisition complications, the coronavirus pandemic, inadequate funding for development and a slow administrative approach. These factors have extended the gap between allocating land and creating a functioning tourism zone.

Invest Bangladesh member Nahian Rahman Rochi identified completion of the dyke as the most immediate priority. The embankment is expected to be the first major step toward protecting the reduced site and allowing the broader infrastructure programme to advance.

A Longer Timeline for a Tourism Hub

Authorities are now focusing on accelerating the project and hope Sabrang can become operational within the next five to 10 years. That timeline underscores how much work remains, even after nearly a decade of development efforts.

Sabrang’s future will depend on whether the planned protective works and utility systems can be delivered in a coordinated sequence. Investors already hold land and have outlined projects, but their construction schedules remain tied to the public infrastructure around them.

For Teknaf and the wider Cox’s Bazar tourism region, the project still carries the promise of new accommodation, food, recreation and related business activity. Turning that promise into an operating tourism destination, however, will require faster progress on the foundations that private investment cannot build alone.