beautiful BANGLADESH from inside and outside: Tourism Industry in Bangladesh

There is immense potential for the Tourism industry in Bangladesh. Although the development progress in this sector is going on slowly. This current progress of the tourism industry is due to the continuous progress of various initiatives of the government taken in the last few years such as infrastructural development, use of information technology, development of security system, political and social stability etc. Although due to a safe investment option, some foreign and domestic investors are getting interested to invest in this sector for higher return.

Recently, the government has taken various initiatives to exploit the immense potential of the tourism industry of the country. The size of the budget for the fiscal year 2020-21 is 5 lac 68 thousand crore BDT. Tk 3,634 crore has been allocated for the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism. The government has taken short, medium and long term plans for the maximum development of the tourism industry of Bangladesh by the year 2025. The plan will be implemented at each level by dividing the entire country into eight tourist zones. For the first time, public-private joint ventures have been initiated for the implementation of these projects. As part of this, initiatives have been taken to implement 25 projects for construction of tourism infrastructure in tourist city Cox's Bazar. The direct investment in these will be around BDT 37,000 crore and indirect investment will be BDT 1 lac 97 thousand crore.

The famous investment company of Japan “Blue River Island Resort and Tourism Club Limited” has planned recently invests money on one of the government's tourism-based initiatives where they will construct an international standard tourism center at the Meghna River Char (Island) in Chandpur district. Total estimated cost of the mega project will be worth BDT 6,000 crore. It’s a joint venture project between Japan and Bangladesh. The investor company will get a high yield of return once after the completion of the project, since tourism is one of the best investment options around the world.

Other tourism development projects of the government include:
Development of Cox's Bazar Airport as an International Airport
Construction of modern star hotels and motels
Construction of power plant at Maheshkhali
Development of Sonadia Island as a special tourist area
Development of Inani Beach (Exclusive tourist Zone)
Construction of Teknaf's Sabrang Eco Tourism Park
Development of Shyamlapur and Jhilongjha Beach
Construction of Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar Railway line
Expansion of wind power project at Kutubdia
Development of road communication system for tourists in Mini Sundarbans at Chakoria
Modernization of Dulahajra Safari Park etc.

Besides, the Government is going to take four more new projects to develop the tourism industry of Bangladesh. At present there is a railway line from Chittagong to Dohazari. This line is being further reformed. Railway is being constructed from Dohazari to Ghumdhum via Cox's Bazar. About BDT 20 thousand crore will be invested in this sector. Already about BDT 4 thousand crore has been spent. Bangladesh Tourism Corporation has taken initiative to build two more motels in Cox's Bazar. Expenditure in this sector has been estimated at Tk 800 crore. A large guest house is being built there at the initiative of Bangladesh Air Force.

An eco-tourism park is being set up in the Teknaf area. An island is being developed in the middle of the Naf River as a special tourist area. Maheshkhali is being developed as a power hub. Billions of BDT are being invested as safe investment only in Maheshkhali area. Initiatives have been taken to develop Sonadia Island as an economic zone and a tourist area. There is a wind power project on Kutubdia Island. Many tourists go there to see it. For this reason, it is being further expanded.

Apart from Cox's Bazar, seven projects have been identified for implementation in public-private partnership (PPP) in different parts of the country. These include the Payra Deep Seaport and the tourism development project in the vicinity of the port area. Khanjahan Ali Airport construction project has been scheduled. Besides, a project is being taken to build infrastructure for those who visit Tanguar Haor at Tahirpur in Sunamganj. A study project will also be taken up around the Sundarbans. Various such initiatives have been taken and are being implemented continuously. The projects under PPP are at different stages of processing. Some of the ongoing projects to increase facilities for tourists in the tourism sector of Bangladesh are:

Introduction of tourism facilities in Chittagong Parki beach
Development of tourism facilities in some interesting areas of the country on the occasion of Tourism Year
Construction of tourist building at Agargaon in the capital
National Training and Tourism Training Institute and damaged Sonamasjid project in Chapainawabganj etc.

One of these development projects is the recent construction of 80 km long marine drive road from Cox's Bazar to Teknaf which was one of the recent best investment form the government. As a result, the tourist city of Cox's Bazar, INANI beach has become more attractive to domestic and foreign tourists. The present government has planned to build three tourist parks in Cox's Bazar to attract tourists from different countries of the world. This will create an additional USD two billion in economic activity every year. The three tourism parks are Sabrang Tourism Park, Naf Tourism Park and Sonadia Eco Tourism Park. About 40,000 jobs will be created in these places.

The steps taken by the present government, especially the announcement to build Naf Tourism Park, will accelerate the development of tourism industry of Bangladesh. Because the famous Thai company Siam International Co Ltd is investing in it as a safe investment option. Initially, the company will invest US$ 50 Crore. The project, worth more than BDT 4,200 crore, will provide employment to more than 12,000 people across 271 acres of land. The project cost for the development of Naf Tourism Park is Tk. 170 crore. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) has undertaken the development work of Naf Tourism Park.

Sabrang Tourism Park is going to be the first tourism dependent economic zone of the country under the development project of the government. This tourist area is being developed on the Sabrang beach in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar. Domestic and foreign entrepreneurs are showing interest to make investment in Bangladesh tourism sector in this planned modern tourist park. As investment in tourism sectors known as one of the more secure and safest way to invest money with higher return options.

The Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) has received investment proposals from several companies. After reviewing these, the executive board of BEZA has already approved the proposals of 12 companies. The companies will build Star hotels, Motels and Resorts in the park. According to their proposal, about US$ 25 crore will be invested here which will take the Tourism industry of Bangladesh to a new level. According to BEZA, this tourism park is being built on 1,048 acres of land with state-of-the-art facilities to make it attractive to the tourists. The 12 companies whose proposals were approved will build various constructions on 116 acres of land. It will provide employment to 10 thousand people.

Lots of star class hotels, motels, resorts, parks, restaurants etc has been built in Cox’s Bazar city and around in the past recent years. Individual peoples are getting interested to make investments in this sector since they are always looking for safe investment options. Various private developer or hotel companies are constructing world class chain hotels at Inani and Cox’s Bazar beside the marine drive road as partnership / share basis. Anyone can make an investment in these types of projects for their future as safe investments with high returns. Al-Jesour Resort Ltd is constructing a 5-Star Studio Hotel and Serviced Apartment named “Prashad Sholilkul” on their own land at Inani beach beside the Marine drive road which is expected to be completed within 2025. Most of the government projects to develop the Tourism Industry of Bangladesh in Cox’s bazar, Inani, Teknaf, Maheshkhali, Sonadia and adjacent area around will be completed within or after the year 2025. Then this zone will become the Tourist hotspot and Tourism Capital of Bangladesh.

Moreover, the present government has formed a district-based tourism committee to modernize tourism industry of the whole country. Tourism offices have been opened in every district. Their job is to identify and further modernize the potential tourist spots in each district. Bangladesh Tourism Corporation is being modernized in a new way. Recently, the government has adopted a master plan for the massive development and growth of the tourism industry as well as attracting domestic and foreign tourists. The Bangladesh Tourism Board under the supervision of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism is formulating a master plan for the development of the tourism industry in Bangladesh.

Tourism development work will be carried out as per short, medium and long term plans as part of the master plan. It has been decided to celebrate 2016-2021 as the years of tourism. In order to develop and bloom, an estimated expenditure of TK 200 crore has been incurred in the three financial years 2015-2018. This will ensure planned development of existing and potential places in the tourism industry of Bangladesh.

In recent years, many nongovernmental organizations and companies, including the government, have sought to transform tourism into an economically viable sector. Domestic and Foreign investors are ready to invest as safe investment in this sector. Therefore, in order to increase research activities in the development of the tourism industry, various institutions at the private level are constantly approving the provision of higher education on tourism including the government universities of the country. Bangladesh Tourism Corporation, founded by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is working to build manpower through their training centers. Two new centers are being set up in Barisal and Cox's Bazar outside the Dhaka office of the National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute run by the Tourism Corporation to develop skilled tourism workers. Besides, tour operator law and tourism corporation law are being made.

The addition of tourism industry in Bangladesh to the development journey of the country will not only bring financial benefits, but also spread its benefits at the marginal level through the participation of the locals. The tourism industry could become one of the tools for Bangladesh to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. For this, it is necessary to give utmost importance to the tourism industry of Bangladesh in the development thinking of the government.

Thanks,

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