Bangladesh, Sept. 24 -- The Department of Environment has ordered the Cox's Bazar district administration to demolish shops and commercial establishments built on the beach dunes of Cox's Bazar.

It has also asked that all licences and approvals for these structures be cancelled.

The order came in a letter sent to the deputy commissioner on Tuesday.

The environment ministry, in a media statement, said: "In 1999, the government declared the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf beach an Ecologically Critical Area (ECA). Under the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act and ECA management rules, all harmful activities are prohibited in this area.

It added that deforestation, hunting wildlife, altering land or water features, setting up polluting industries...