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19 staff flee with owner's pets after fatal Cox’s Bazar resort fire

Published : Sunday, 18 October, 2026 at 1:53 PM

Observer Online Report

Collected Photo

Around 6:30 AM on Saturday (October 17), a resort staff member put tea on a kitchen gas stove and fell asleep. Moments later, a loud explosion echoed from the kitchen, and flames engulfed the entire 10-decimal resort structure.

The Fire Service recovered 10 bodies following the devastating blaze at ‘Tuptup Resto and Resort’ in Ukhia. Even after 24 hours, four members of a family from Jashore who were staying at the establishment remain missing.

Eyewitnesses and resort employees said almost all staff members and a few guests rushed out immediately as the fire started, but several guests remained trapped inside their rooms.

The resort owner kept two dogs and four cats on the second floor. An eyewitness noted that four to five resort workers prioritized rescuing those animals and fled as the fire erupted.

A local youth living near the resort said he woke up to the sound of an explosion and saw the venue ablaze. He saw four to five workers running with dogs and cats, which the owner, Tanveer, kept at the venue.

Police filed a case with Ukhia Police Station naming resort owner Tanveer Sultan Miah as the principal accused among four individuals. Tanveer's business partner Niaz Morshed was also accused, while restaurant manager Mohammad Sumon, detained on Saturday evening, was formally arrested. Police withheld the fourth suspect's name for investigative purposes.

Sumon told reporters before his arrest that 19 employees were on duty when the fire broke out and all fled to safety. Additionally, 21 guests occupied six of the resort's nine rooms.

Tanveer, a resident of Boalkhali upazila in Chittagong, purchased the 10-decimal land along Marine Drive in June 2022. He built the resort with his partner Niaz Morshed and launched business operations in January 2024. Tanveer also runs an internet service provider named SurfNet.

Tanveer built a pet collection at the resort to attract guests, featuring an Italian breed dog named Kenny, a German breed dog named Kiana, and several foreign cat breeds. He reportedly raised and traded these animals. Both Tanveer and Niaz Morshed went into hiding following the fire.

Director General of Fire Service Brigadier General Sultanul Afrin Junaid stated that the resort lacked fire safety clearance. Following an inspection in June, authorities issued a warning notice designating the structure unsafe.

He noted that the three-storey wooden building housed a restaurant on the ground floor and guest accommodation on the top two floors. Operating such a structure without proper approvals and fire safety measures posed severe risks.

The establishment also operated illegally without approval from the Cox's Bazar Development Authority (KDA). KDA Chairman Engr Jasim Uddin confirmed that the resort lacked valid authorization and continued illegal operations despite notices served against it.

Meanwhile, a five-member committee formed by the district administration is investigating the incident. Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Abdul Mannan said the committee was directed to submit its report by Tuesday.

Ukhia Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Atiqur Rahman said police drives are underway to arrest principal accused Tanveer and the other suspects.

DNA tests required to hand over bodies of Cox's Bazar fire victim

Cox's Bazar resort fire: Case filed accusing owner, 1 held

-SA