First experience as tourist guide

Jannatul Hafsa

Jannatul Hafsa: Every person has his or her own dream and I had a dream to do something of my own choice beside my studies. But I could not get an opportunity to fulfill my dream. One day when I was discussing with my college friends and other students in front of our Principal’s room, we met with a person who told and invited us to join with tourist guide training at YES CENTER COX’S BAZAR. When he asked me I certainly agreed and expressed my interest to join in the training. And successfully I did a 3 months course at the YES CENTER COX’S BAZAR with great pleasure.

After completing my training, one day the manager of the YES CENTER introduced all the participants of  the course “tourist guide” to our department head and other teachers of our college at our Principal’s room and they wanted to know more about our training. On 5th October 2017 at 9.30 am, Mr. S. M. Aktar Chowdhury, head of our department called me over phone and asked me to work as a tourist guide and told me to meet the Principal. When I finally met our Principal, Mr. Kathying Aung, I found that tourists were already waiting for me in his office. They were a group of journalists from the private TV channel “Dipto”, who will work on the Rohingya issue. My responsibilities were to guide them in the Rohingya camp at Ukhia & Taknaf and to translate the Rohingya language into Bangla in front of the camera. I worked for 6 days with the team from 5th to 10th of October 2017.


I also guided them to visit different places of Ukhia, Kutupalong, Balukhali and many more. It was my first job-experience in my life.  I learnt a lot from this tour and I was very happy to have achieved something, which I could not have gained by any other means.

My dear readers, if I describe my work on those days then you could realize what a busy time we had! On 5th October we went to West Hindu Para, Kutupalong, Ukhia. There we made an interview with a Hindu woman, who fled from Myanmar and took shelter in this camp. We also interviewed several United Nations senior officials. On 6th October we went to Balukhali Camp 2 and interviewed officials of the Bangladesh Army about the present situation of the Rohingya refugees. I also helped the team to take some shots of the relief distribution work, as I had some experiences in work with the Rohingya as a volunteer of YPSA.

On the 3rd day we interviewed representatives from different national and international organizations such as as the  World Food Program, Concern Worldwide, YPSA and others.  On the 4th day we went to see the workers of the soap and garments factories at Kutupalong camp and on the 5th day we had a meeting with Mr. Mahidur Rahman, the Additional District Commissioner (who is the responsible person for the Rohingya camps) and with Mr. Samantha Sahanir, representative of IOM. On last day we made several interviews with the civil society of Cox’s Bazar.

On that day I also guided the team to visit some tourist spots in Cox’s Bazar. By getting exposed to this work I gathered a lot of experience and knowledge, which will help me to build my career and to further strengthen my capacity. I leant about the methods of journalism, the way of making lively interviews with high officials and renowned persons. I also got the chance to visit many new places and made to learn how a TV channel works. I also got a good feedback for my first work as a tourist guide, which will help me to do my future work with courage and always with a smiling on my face... First the training and then the exposure to real life strengthened my confidence again!

Really, there is no boundary for learning. Learning is never a waste of time, it always helps us to go further in our personal development. The tourist guide training of the YES CENTER gave me this opportunity and I am really grateful to have been offered this opportunity!