Langalbandh to be developed as tourist spot

Langalbandh, a holy place in Narayanganj for the country's Hindu community, will be developed as a tourist spot. The decision came from an inter-ministerial meeting with Religious Affairs Adviser Maj Gen (Retd.) Dr ASM Matiur Rahman in the chair.

The Deputy Commissioner of the district has been asked to submit a project plan on land requisition mentioning the quantity of khas and vested property to the ministry concerned within the next 15 days.

The meeting also decided that an 8-km area along the Brahmaputra River would be re-excavated and 14 ghats would be reconstructed by Water Ministry under the supervision of Religious Affairs Ministry as part of the proposed project.

Besides, the Architecture Department would formulate a master plan following which the ministries concerned would reconstruct the mandirs, set up shades, guide-walls, roads and other necessary infrastructures.

The Ministry of Forest and Environment would set up a tree-shadow, a tourist corporation and a restaurant as a part of the project. A police station would also be set up to ensure public security in the area.

Religious Affairs secretary Ataur Rahman, Water Resources secretary Syed Mohammad Jobayer, joint secretary of Agriculture Ministry Latfur Rahman, Land Ministry joint secretary Murtaza Ahmed were, among others, present in the meeting.

[Read Posts...]

Tk 260 crore tourism promotional campaign planned for Bangladesh

The Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry is to seek Taka 260 crore from the finance ministry for implementing its aggressive tourism promotional campaign `Visit Bangladesh-2011'.


"The government has declared the year 2011 as the tourism year and set a target to attract one million tourists through a huge promotional campaign," Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister G M Quader told BSS today.

On an average, four lakh foreign travelers visit Bangladesh a year. The ministry would place the Taka 260 crore budget for carrying out the campaign at the next meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Tourism to be chaired by Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on December 27.


After getting nod of the committee the detailed promotional programme would be placed for final approval at the National Tourism Council chaired by Prime Minister sheikh Hasina.


"We have already chalked out a huge promotional campaign with traditional and cultural flavor at home and abroad next year targeting the foreign tourists, who are looking for new

destinations of making holidays," the minister said.


The year-long programme also includes staging of road shows and Bangladesh week in different countries as well as inviting renowned international writers and journalists to visit Bangladesh.


The country has lots of tourist tempting treasures in terms of both natural beauty, culture, heritage and archeological aspects, he said, adding, "but we have never conducted such huge international promotional campaign to attract travelers."


The present government is committed to establish a vibrant tourism industry, he said and added that ahead of attaining the target, the government has recently formed a national tourism organization, Bangladesh Tourism Board, chaired by Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Shafique Alam Mehdi.


Mehdi said it's a long felt demand of the people belonging to tourism industry to form a high-powered independent national tourism organization with participation of private sector for proper promotion and development of the tourism industry.


He said major task of the board would be to formulate a vision for developing a sustainable eco-friendly responsible tourism industry in the country.

Sources at the ministry said revenue earning from the sector was Taka 449.38 crore in 2005, Taka 553.6 crore in 2006, Taka 526.51 crore in 2007, Taka 612.45 crore in 2008 and Taka 573.79 crore in 2009.

[Read Posts...]