Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat today (17 October) called for urgent measures to locate missing persons and determine the cause of the devastating fire at Tuptup Resort and Restaurant in Cox's Bazar.
The minister also directed the Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) to take immediate steps to assess the damage, assist affected tourists and strengthen fire safety measures at tourism establishments to prevent similar tragedies.
The directives came following the deadly fire at the resort in the Patuartek area along Inani Marine Drive Road in Ukhiya upazila of Cox's Bazar, according to a ministry press release.
Expressing profound grief over the loss of lives, Millat urged the authorities concerned to intensify efforts to trace the missing persons and conduct a thorough investigation to establish the actual cause of the blaze.
He stressed the importance of coordinated rescue operations and providing necessary assistance to those affected by the incident.
"Such tragic accidents are extremely painful. It is essential to stand beside those affected by the incident and ensure continued coordinated efforts by all concerned in the rescue operations," the minister said.
In response to the incident, Millat instructed the BTB to immediately send a delegation to the affected resort to assess the situation, determine the extent of damage and provide necessary assistance to tourists.
He also directed the tourism board to convene an emergency meeting involving the local administration, law enforcement agencies and tourism sector stakeholders to review safety arrangements and identify measures to ensure the security of tourists.
The minister instructed the authorities to implement the recommendations of the meeting without delay.
As part of longer-term preventive measures, Millat called for strengthening fire safety arrangements at tourism establishments across the country.
He directed the BTB to introduce special training programmes for officials and employees of tourism establishments in collaboration with the Fire Service and Civil Defence.
The programmes will focus on fire prevention, emergency preparedness and rescue operations to enhance the capacity of tourism sector personnel to respond effectively to emergencies.
The minister emphasised that improving fire safety awareness and emergency response capabilities was essential to preventing the recurrence of such incidents.
Millat conveyed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the fire.
He also prayed for the eternal peace of the deceased and sought Almighty Allah's blessings to give the bereaved families the strength to bear their irreparable loss.
The death toll in a devastating fire this morning has risen to 10.
The fire broke out at Tuptup Resort in Patuartek, near Inani Sea Beach, said Syed Muhammad Morshed Hossain, Deputy Assistant Director of Cox's Bazar Fire Service and Civil Defence.
Talha bin Zasim, a media officer of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, told BSS that they received information about the fire around 7:25am. The blaze was brought under complete control at 11am.
He confirmed that 10 people died in the incident.