Due to lack of coordinated campaigning, country’s tourism industry has not developed to a satisfactory level as yet.
Despite having huge tourism potentials, the country is lagging behind many countries in this respect since many attractive spots are still unknown to people.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry secretary Md Muhibul Haque came up with these comment while speaking as chief guest at a workshop titled ‘Tourism in Development’ organized by Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) at CIRDAP in the capital on Wednesday.
He said we are still unable to highlight country’s all tourism spots to local and foreign travelers of the world. The ministry is working with all its stakeholders to promote the travel destination of the country to the world.
“After independence, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman formed the Tourism Board for the betterment of the country’s tourism. But since then, this sector has not been developed,” he expresses his observation.
Showing an example, he said the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina developed the country in last 10 years, but the ministry spent only Tk 101 crore during this tenure.
Highlighting different plan of the ministry Muhibul Haque said a good number of projects is under consideration, to boost up the tourism industry. Private investment is very much important in such project.
‘To promote the Sundarbans (the world largest mangrove forest), we prepared a master plan. A separated intensive tourist zone will be developed near the Sundarbans with all tourism amenities. Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) is working on it and we will start the project by this year’- he added.
The country has world largest unbroken sea beach Cox’s Bazar, but it’s a matter of regret that we are still unable to make it tourist friendly. There is nothing except the beach and some hotels. No tourism related infrastructure in planned way ha not constructed to attract tourists.
‘A special tourist zone is being developed to attract native and foreign tourists to the estuary of Bakkhali in Cox’s Bazar. All tourism facilities will be ensured there’- he further added.
From his speech, it also learnt that the ministry also working to promote tourism in Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachhari. Under the plan, the ministry will describe the beauty of these hilly areas to the tourists.
For religious tourism the secretary said, if we can ensure proper communication along with other infrastructure we will be able to promote our religious, historic, cultural and archeological tourism establishments which are located in different part of the country.
Ministry additional secretary Md Atiqul Haque presided over the workshop while BTB CEO Dr Bhuban Chandra Biswas presented the keynote paper. Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation chairman Aktheruzzaman Khan Kabir among others also spoke on the occasion.