Dhaka: Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam today announced the government's intention to identify potential tourism sites across all 64 districts as part of an effort to position Bangladesh as an international-standard tourism destination. "We want to move forward with identifying potential tourism sites in all 64 districts and establishing Bangladesh as an international-standard tourism destination," the minister stated during a seminar titled 'Public-Private Partnership and Awareness Building for the Promotion of Eco-Tourism,' organized by the Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) at Parjatan Bhaban in Dhaka's Agargaon area.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Afroza highlighted the government's consideration of developing tourism attractions around several villages, including Mitingachhari village in Kaptai upazila of Rangamati, Pankhali village in Dacope upazila of Khulna, and Nafanagar village in Bochaganj upazila of Dinajpur. These villages are part of the 'SDG Village' initiative aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The minister noted that despite Bangladesh's 55 years of independence, the nation has achieved relatively few notable advancements in tourism development. She emphasized the government's commitment to transforming the country into a tourism hub, aligning with its electoral commitment. Afroza also mentioned several initiatives already undertaken to develop the tourism sector during the government's first five months in office.
Afroza acknowledged the challenges in establishing Bangladesh as a tourism hub, emphasizing the need for support from all stakeholders. Expressing optimism about the sector's future, she said the government, under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's leadership, aims to advance the country with collective cooperation.
The minister stressed the importance of properly determining priorities when undertaking development initiatives and called for stronger coordination between the government and the private sector. She proposed monthly meetings with private-sector stakeholders to bridge any information gaps between government agencies and private operators.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Fahmida Akhtar highlighted ongoing work on the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) to address the existing data gap in the tourism sector. She also mentioned efforts to formulate an eco-tourism policy, noting that improved cooperation among stakeholders could help overcome past coordination issues and accelerate tourism sector development.
Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation Chairman Md Samimuzzaman attended the seminar as a special guest, while Bangladesh Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer (Additional Charge) Md Abdur Rouf chaired it. The seminar discussed the importance and current state of eco-tourism in Bangladesh, challenges to its development, future action plans, and necessary measures to promote the sector. Prof Dr Md Wasiul Islam of the Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline at Khulna University presented the keynote paper.