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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