The life-saving lifeguard services provided by private organization Sea-Safe Lifeguards at Cox’s Bazar beach may shut down. The crisis has emerged due to a shortage of funds.

This will increase the risk of tourist deaths while bathing at the beach.

In 2012, with funding from the UK-based international organization Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI), the Sea-Safe Lifeguard service was launched at Cox’s Bazar to save tourists bathing in the sea.

Since then, the organization has been rescuing tourists swept away by sea currents. However, due to lack of funds, all activities will stop on September 30 this year.

Sea-Safe Lifeguards’ regional manager Imtiaz Ahmed said that the project expired in December last year due to funding shortages.

Considering tourist safety, with the intervention of the Cox’s Bazar district administration, the donor extended the project by six months until June.

Later, it was extended again for three months until September 30. Since no further funds are available, the lifeguard service will shut down this September.

The donor organization used to provide around Tk14 lakh per month to cover costs for 35 officials and employees, including 27 lifeguards.

Imtiaz Ahmed said that since the service began, lifeguards have rescued at least 807 tourists from strong currents at various points of Cox’s Bazar beach.

During the same time, they also recovered the bodies of 65 people who drowned. Once the service shuts down, 27 lifeguards and 35 employees in total will lose their jobs.

Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Salahuddin said the Tourism Ministry has been informed about the closure.

He added that under hotel management policies, lifeguard operations must be ensured.

For this reason, the ministry instructed that lifeguard services should continue through funding from local hotels.

A meeting with hotel owners has already been held. The administration asked that big (star) hotels cover salaries for three lifeguards each, and smaller hotels cover one lifeguard each. Current lifeguards will get priority in recruitment.

General Secretary of the Cox’s Bazar Hotel and Resort Owners’ Association, Mukim Khan, said that although the ministry and district administration directed hotels to manage 27 lifeguards, it is doubtful whether hotel owners can provide Tk14-15 lakh per month.

Nobody has responded yet, and even if they do, it will take time. Therefore, lifeguard services cannot continue from October.

Lifeguards, including Md Osman and Zainal Abedin said: “If the service stops, we will be left jobless. Without jobs, how will our families survive? For years, we have risked our lives to save tourists in the sea. Now our own lives are at risk. There is no one to save us.”

According to sources, every year at least 8 to 10 million tourists visit Cox’s Bazar beach.

While lifeguard services are provided across 5 kilometers of the beach, the remaining 115 kilometers remain unprotected.