The local administration has suspended the construction work of the Istanbul Hotel and Resort in Patuakhali's prominent tourist destination, Kuakata, citing a lack of proper regulatory approvals. The directive to halt construction was enforced on Tuesday afternoon.
During the operation, Kuakata Beach Management Committee Member Secretary and Kalapara Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Arifuzzaman, along with Kuakata Municipality Administrator and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Md. Yaseen Sadek, were present at the site.
Highlighting the grounds for the action, Md. Yaseen Sadek, Administrator of Kuakata Municipality, stated that constructing buildings without authorization from competent authorities is a punishable offense under existing building regulations. Furthermore, he noted that according to the master plan of Kuakata, the land in question is designated for railway infrastructure, prompting the immediate suspension of the project.
Following the shutdown, the Kuakata Municipality and the Kalapara Upazila administration erected a banner at the site detailing the prohibition. The notice explicitly states that the construction activities have been ordered to halt due to the absence of valid approvals, warning that strict legal action will be taken against anyone who violates the directive.
The Istanbul project spans approximately 21.66 acres of land under SA Khatian No. 292 in Latachapli mouza of Kalapara upazila. Current development activities within the project area include the construction of a mosque and a convention hall. Construction of the hotel near Musalliabad village within the Kuakata municipal area commenced following this year's national parliamentary election. To date, developers have completed land development and boundary wall construction across at least six acres of the project area.
According to local sources, the initiative is spearheaded by figures associated with Jamaat-e-Islami, including local leader and MP Masum Saidi, though administrative scrutiny remains focused strictly on land use and regulatory compliance.
