Md. Ziaul Haque Howlader
After a long nine-month long war of sacrifice, we achieved our independence in 1971. Independence from the dominance of the then West Pakistan under the greatest leadership of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the supreme achievement of the Bengali nation. In the sphere of the tourism industry, our main success was the creation of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation in 1972 by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. His immense visionary leadership and dream for development of tourism in the country inspired him to establish Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation as the national tourism organisation. Bangabandhu, the greatest person of thousand years of history of Bengali, loved the country and always aspired to promote the country as one of the best tourist destinations in the world. The dedication and contribution of Bangabandhu’s family to build up the newly-independent Bangladesh were also immense.
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If we analyse the Ordinance of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation made under the Presidential Order-143 in 1972, we find that the whole gamut of tourism development for the next century was properly mentioned there. BPC was assigned to create & develop all kinds of tourism & hospitality facilities across the country, enhance the positive image of the country abroad, create tourism human resource, carry out research on tourism, establish tourism institutes as well as different kinds of tourism parks including safari, establish foreign liaison, operate money exchange centres, run casinos, conduct package tours & rent-a-car facilities and many more. This organisation has given the power to control and regulate the tourism industry of Bangladesh (vide: BPC ordinance 2.a). The BPC ordinance of 1972 is very significant to create a strong base of Bangladesh tourism. However, the power of the ordinance has not been utilised optimally for various political reasons. The socio-political history of the last 45 years of Bangladesh somehow avoided focusing the tourism development despite having so many opportunities. The hurdles and reasons have already been discussed several times by many experts. The tourism industry of Bangladesh passed many years consecutively without any budgetary allocation; even not a penny.
However, Bangladesh is now on the highway of its development under the dynamic and progressive leadership of the daughter of Bangabandhu, Her Excellency Sheikh Hasina, Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh. The tourism industry of Bangladesh is now moving on the right track under the direct supervision of Hon’ble Prime Minister. She is a tourism-loving person, who always kindly instructs BPC to create international standard tourist facilities in the country. To attract more foreign tourists in the country, Her Excellency titled 2016 as the ‘Year of Visit Bangladesh’ activities under the title head are extended from 2017 to 2018. The ECNEC under the chairmanship of the Hon’ble Prime Minister has also approved the Tourism Bhaban along with many other tourism projects for the current fiscal year.
To ensure a consistent success of the tourism industry, the present government has taken some commendable initiatives including the creation of tourist accommodation and amusement facilities across the country. During the previous tenure of H.E. Sheikh Hasina, the government recognised tourism as an industry and framed a new National Tourism Policy in 2010 for the development of domestic and international tourism facilities in the country. The government has also enacted ‘Tourism Protected Area and Exclusive Tourist Zone Law’ in 2010. This law helps in attracting foreign investments in the ETZs. Apart from these, Bangladesh Tourism Board was formed in the same year with the direct participation of private sector tourism stakeholders.
Right now the country is focusing on building tourism destinations and developing their peripheral facilities. The tourism products of Bangladesh have started to enter the world tourism market. Today Bangladesh is a country at the crossroads in the global tourism market. She is moving towards the 21st century while still maintaining a link with the past. Bangladesh is a country whose sights and sounds delight a visitor and make him return back again and again to this land in mosaic.
After long 45 years, Bangladesh recently has graduated to a lower-middle income country status. Purchasing ability of people has also increased much and its consistent GDP growth for the last half a decade already has left a good impact on the overall economic development. Life expectancy and enrolment of children in school have increased significantly. People now love to visit and see their own country. All these socio-political and historical positive trends of the country will surely encourage foreign tourists to visit this country in the days coming ahead.
The author is a tourism
development activist
However, Bangladesh is now on the highway of its development under the dynamic and progressive leadership of the daughter of Bangabandhu, Her Excellency Sheikh Hasina, Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh. The tourism industry of Bangladesh is now moving on the right track under the direct supervision of Hon’ble Prime Minister. She is a tourism-loving person, who always kindly instructs BPC to create international standard tourist facilities in the country. To attract more foreign tourists in the country, Her Excellency titled 2016 as the ‘Year of Visit Bangladesh’ activities under the title head are extended from 2017 to 2018. The ECNEC under the chairmanship of the Hon’ble Prime Minister has also approved the Tourism Bhaban along with many other tourism projects for the current fiscal year.
To ensure a consistent success of the tourism industry, the present government has taken some commendable initiatives including the creation of tourist accommodation and amusement facilities across the country. During the previous tenure of H.E. Sheikh Hasina, the government recognised tourism as an industry and framed a new National Tourism Policy in 2010 for the development of domestic and international tourism facilities in the country. The government has also enacted ‘Tourism Protected Area and Exclusive Tourist Zone Law’ in 2010. This law helps in attracting foreign investments in the ETZs. Apart from these, Bangladesh Tourism Board was formed in the same year with the direct participation of private sector tourism stakeholders.
Right now the country is focusing on building tourism destinations and developing their peripheral facilities. The tourism products of Bangladesh have started to enter the world tourism market. Today Bangladesh is a country at the crossroads in the global tourism market. She is moving towards the 21st century while still maintaining a link with the past. Bangladesh is a country whose sights and sounds delight a visitor and make him return back again and again to this land in mosaic.
After long 45 years, Bangladesh recently has graduated to a lower-middle income country status. Purchasing ability of people has also increased much and its consistent GDP growth for the last half a decade already has left a good impact on the overall economic development. Life expectancy and enrolment of children in school have increased significantly. People now love to visit and see their own country. All these socio-political and historical positive trends of the country will surely encourage foreign tourists to visit this country in the days coming ahead.
The author is a tourism
development activist