In a tragic disaster, ten tourists lost their lives and at least six others were severely injured in a devastating fire that gutted the 'Tuptup Restaurant and Resort' in the Patuartek area of Inani, Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar, on Saturday morning (October 17, 2026). Police arrested the resort manager, Mohammad Suman, from the scene around 3:30 PM, while the resort owners, Niaz Morshed and Tanveer, remain absconding.
According to local and Fire Service sources, the fire broke out around 7:30 AM in the wooden beachside structure and rapidly engulfed the entire complex. Three firefighting units, under the supervision of Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Panna Akhtar, extinguished the blaze by 10:00 AM after a two-hour operation.
Addressing a press briefing in Dhaka, Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defense Brigadier General Sultanul Afreen disclosed that the resort lacked both a fire safety license and environmental clearance. Despite prior warnings, the resort management operated illegally without mandatory safety measures. Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md. A. Mannan confirmed that a five-member investigation committee, headed by the Additional District Magistrate, has been formed to determine the exact cause of the fire, assess safety lapses, and assign accountability.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Special Correspondent (Cox's Bazar) • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
