DEATH by drowning remains a public concern with little to no effective intervention on part of the government to prevent such disaster. Three students of the University of Chittagong drowned in the sea in Cox鈥檚 Bazar on July 8, with two having so far been recovered dead. In June, during Eid holidays, when about 250,000 people visited the district, at least six people died by drowning. SeaSafe lifeguards report that 49 tourists died after being swept away by currents or getting trapped in hidden channels in 2018鈥�2024. Tourists are often unaware of the danger before going walking into the water because of erosion and hidden channels along the 120-kilometre beach. Only 26 members on the staff of the private organisation are available for rescue operations along a five-kilometre stretch, from Kalatali to Laboni Point. Local authorities say that with 25 lifeguards, 25 beach workers and 70-80 tourist police officers, it is almost impossible to ensure sea safety for tourists. The government has encouraged investment in the tourism industry in Cox鈥檚 Bazar, but the growth of the industry should also include identifying safe swimming zones and installation of a sea-netting system.
Death by drowning is not a problem only for coastal districts. On an average, 40 children die by drowning in ponds and rivers each day during the monsoon season. A 2023 UNICEF report termed drowning as a leading cause of death of children aged below five in Bangladesh, with 14,000 annual deaths among children. Research has already identified wide exposure to water bodies, lack of awareness, lack of supervision of children, lack of swimming skills and lack of first response skills of communities as major factors for child drowning in rural areas. In working-class communities, it is often difficult to arrange for day care for children. In 2022, Society for Media and Suitable Human-Communication Techniques findings highlighted how lack of day care facilities contributed to the situation as 68 per cent of drowning takes place between 9:00am and 1:00pm while majority of incidents take place in ponds and ditches within about 40 steps of households.
The government should, therefore, develop a drowning prevention strategy with detailed guidelines. In doing so, it should pay special attention to providing child care support for children of working-class families and teaching children how to swim and about water safety. The government should allocate more human and financial resources in coastal zones to improve sea safety.
