Concerns have resurfaced over the privacy and security of tourists staying at hotels in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. In a serious incident, a private video of a visiting Islamist political leader was secretly recorded at a luxury hotel in the Kolatoli area and later circulated on social media.
A case has been filed against a hotel employee and a local Chhatra League leader who allegedly assisted. Both accused are currently on the run, and police suspect the act was planned to blackmail the victim or serve political purposes.
According to police and hotel sources, Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuaad, secretary general of Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party, was staying at the hotel during a personal visit last week. The AB Party was formed in 2020 by a splinter group of Jamaat-e-Islami under Sheikh Hasina’s government. This followed the cancellation of Jamaat’s registration and trials of its leaders for crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War.
Allegations suggest that Hamza, a room service staffer, planted a mobile phone inside the bathroom’s ventilation system to record Barrister Fuaad’s intimate private moments with a hired woman.
The footage was then shared online, with assistance from a local ward-level student leader identifying himself as Saidi, police sources say.
The video’s wide circulation has shredded Fuaad’s public image, a political leader who loudly parades his hardline Islamic advocacy, rails against secular foes with fiery speeches, yet insists on showcasing his devotion through ritual prayers.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Hamza hails from Maheshkhali and had been working at the hotel for about six months. His alleged accomplice, Saidi, reportedly visited the hotel frequently. Investigators believe their intention was either to defame the barrister or extort money through blackmail.
A police officer at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Model Police Station, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “We are taking this complaint very seriously. The accused have been identified and multiple police teams are conducting raids to track them down. We are using technology to locate them and hope to bring them to justice soon.”
Authorities are also investigating whether this group has been involved in similar criminal activities in the past.
The incident has triggered widespread concern about hotel security protocols and staff recruitment transparency. Serious questions have been raised about how a hotel employee managed to install a hidden camera in a private room without detection.
The hotel manager said: “This is an extremely shameful and unacceptable incident. We have already fired the accused employee and are fully cooperating with the police investigation. We are reviewing our security measures and will implement stricter recruitment protocols moving forward.”
A leader of the Cox’s Bazar Hotel-Motel Owners Association described the situation as a “grave threat” to the tourism industry, saying: “Incidents like this undermine tourists’ trust and are deeply embarrassing for all of us. We’ve instructed all hotel owners to conduct thorough background checks, including police verification, before hiring staff.”
This violation of privacy is not only an attack on individual dignity and an exposure of an Islamist leader’s hypocrisy, but also a serious blow to Cox’s Bazar’s reputation as an international tourist destination. Without trust in hotel safety, the repercussions for Bangladesh’s tourism industry could be severe. Swift justice and safeguards for guests — and for the hollow moral claims paraded by politicians like Fuaad — are now essential.
