Commentary:
In recent years, the love for mountains and adventure tourism among Bangladeshi youth has grown immensely. Tired of artificiality and urban monotony, many young people are seeking solace in hills, waterfalls, and deep forests. From this passion, countless travel groups have emerged—many operating online and commercially.
But the tragic deaths of Smriti Akhter and Jubairul Islam in Bandarban’s Alikadam, along with the disappearance of trip co-organizer Hasan, remind us that behind this love lies a dangerous negligence. Mismanagement and irresponsibility could drag our tourism into quicksand.
From Delight to Disaster
A group embarking on a mountain expedition is not unusual. But when such trips are commercially organized without weather forecast analysis, safety planning, route permissions, emergency rescue arrangements, or trained guides—it ceases to be entertainment and becomes a suicidal business model.
In this case, it is still unclear what preparations the online-based group “Tour Expert” had made. However, the arrest of Barsha Islam Brishti and the allegations made by the families of the deceased suggest that the entire plan was fraught with risk from the start.
Trips Without Permission?
If it’s true that Barsha and her team conducted the trip without official authorization, it’s not just irresponsibility—it’s a criminal act. The weather in hill tracts is uncertain and rapidly changing. Flash floods or landslides can kill within moments. That’s why approval from local administration, the Forest Department, and the Tourism Corporation is mandatory. Yet many travel groups consider this a mere “formality” and choose to skip it.
Online Fame, Offline Unpreparedness
Many are running these travel groups by designing attractive Facebook posts and luring people with the promise of adventure and beautiful photos. Some of them don’t understand—or pretend not to understand—the real challenges of mountain expeditions. But one wrong decision can bring lifelong mourning to a family.
Is This the Future of Tourism?
Modern tourism demands safety, responsibility, and professionalism. If we keep treating tourism merely as a money-making venture, we will continue to lose lives and memories.
It’s time for the Tourism Board, local administration, and law enforcement to regulate these groups and bring them under a registration framework. Mandatory training and certification for travel entrepreneurs must be introduced. For any expedition into the hills, a licensed guide, weather data analysis, first aid knowledge, and local coordination are essential.
Final Words
The deaths of Smriti and Jubair are not just the fault of a river current—they reflect a society where pleasure is made perilous, yet no one is held accountable.
Now is the time to rescue the spirit of travel from negligence. Otherwise, the hills will continue to make us mourn.
