With Bangladesh symbolizing diverse tradition and culture, the government is working to develop rural tourism by ensuring protection of rural environment and heritage considered as real treasures.
When there are immense possibilities of rural tourism, the government has embarked on expanding Community-Based Tourism and developing the country’s villages in congruity with the rural life.
To ensure role of the rural-folk in creating a conducive environment for tourism, the authority concerned is also working round the clock.
State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Mahbub Ali came up with these comments while speaking at a webinar titled ‘World Tourism Day 2020’ organised by the civil aviation and tourism ministry on Sunday. With the theme of “Tourism for Rural Development”, World Tourism Day is being celebrated across the country.
He said, “Tourism will act as a supporting force in implementing the steps taken by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to improve the living standards of the rural people. She (Sheikh Hasina) has been relentlessly working to develop the village people’s life. It will be possible to ensure further facilities for them through the development of rural tourism.”
“Our tourism has a lot of diversity and potential. Most of our tourist attractions are located in rural areas. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman established the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation in 1972 to showcase this beauty of Bangladesh to the world. Later, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formed the Bangladesh Tourism Board in 2010”, he added.
The state minister said, “Now is the time to turn that possibility into a reality under the leadership of our premier, promote our tourism products with appropriate branding to the world. We have to ensure that tourism can play an important role as a supporting force in building the “Sonar Bangla”, the dream of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”
President of the parliamentary standing committee on the civil aviation and tourism ministry R. A. M Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury was also present at the webinar as a special guest.
He said, “The civil aviation and tourism ministry and the Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) are working to develop the country’s tourism sector. For further development it is essential to create special zones for tourism. The development of rural tourism must be ensured without harming the traditional culture of rural Bengal.”
In his speech, Senior Secretary of the tourism ministry Mohibul Haque, said, “Despite being a country of immense tourism potential, we have not yet been able to properly uphold our tourism products to the world. As a result, the contribution of our tourism industry to the GDP is still low. We have now started working sincerely for the development of tourism. We are working to offer various facilities to tourists in all the tourist spots of the country.”
BTB Chief Executive Officer Jabed Ahmed, Chairman of Bangladesh Tourism Corporation Ram Chandra Das, Chairman of Dhaka University Tourism and Hospitality Management Department Prof. Dr. Md. Badruzzaman Bhuiyan and TOAB President Mohammad Rafiuzzaman, among others, were present on the occasion.
