Cox's Bazar is set to host a seven-month-long festival series, beginning in July 2025 with a tourism and architecture expo and concluding with the Burning Crab Festival in January 2026. 

The initiative, led by Anisul Haque Chowdhury Shohag, managing director of Mermaid Eco-Tourism Ltd, aims to elevate Cox's Bazar's artistic and tourism appeal.

The festival lineup includes the Mystic Bauls of Bengal event in August, celebrating spiritual and poetic traditions, followed by the Indigenous Festival in September, showcasing Bangladesh's ethnic music, dance, and crafts. In October, the Food and Art Festival will blend culinary and artistic excellence. 

Inspired by Cannes and Busan, the Cox's Bazar Film Festival in November will feature screenings, masterclasses, and networking opportunities. December's Beach Music Festival will highlight folk and global music by the sea.

The grand finale, the Burning Crab Festival, will be curated by Japanese festival designer Jiro Endo, merging art, music, film, and sustainability.

Chowdhury emphasised the festival's potential to establish Cox's Bazar as a center for cultural innovation.

He has engaged with cultural adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs to ensure success, aiming to attract global recognition and tourism.