All hotels, motles and tourists lodges are jam-packed with visitors days ahead. The main attraction was the last sunset of the year in the Bay of Bengal.

The administration has made adequate security and safety measures and deployed police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in strategic areas including the beach and tourists zone.

The tourists include a large number of students who came in groups either for picnic or for study tour.

Jamal Hossain come from Dhaka with his family of six. "I have to the beach to enjoy the New Year", he said talking to this correspondent yesterday.

Hotel owners and law enforcers said they did not see such rush of tourists earlier.

The crowds increased this year as annual examinations at schools is over.

However, many tourists said hotel owners increased rent. They are charging Tk 200 to 300 for a single bed and Tk 500 to 700 for a double-bed room.