Home ›› 09 Nov 2021 ›› Front
As most tourist spots in the coastal and marine zones in Bangladesh still remain utterly unexploited both for local and foreign tourists, the government has undertaken a massive plan to boost the country’s coastal and marine tourism.
Bangladesh has the world’s longest unbroken sea beach of 580-kilometre coastline.
So far a limited extent of tourism has relatively developed in a couple of spots including Cox’s Bazar, Teknaf and St Martin’s Island.
Against such a backdrop, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has intensified its efforts for implanting various environmentally friendly development projects in the coastal as well as wetland areas along the Bay of Bengal for boosting coastal tourism.
To attract both local and international tourists, a good number of international-standard hotels, motels, cottages, watchtowers, golf clubs, amusement parks with rides, artificial lakes, and picnic spots are also being set up at various places along the coastal belt of Bangladesh.
In addition, in the western part, the Sundarbans-based tourism has flourished for the last few decades.
Although a little success has been achieved in coastal tourism, marine tourism remains largely ignored.
Apart from the longest coastal belt, the government is also transforming all the fellow or unused land located in various attractive places such as Tekerghat limestone quarry of Sunamganj into haor tourism spots. The project is likely to be approved soon.
According to the officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, construction of a seven-storied tourism building at a cost of around Tk 13 crore is almost completed at Khan Jahan Ali Mazar in Bagerhat district which is surrounded by the world’s largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans.
Both local and international tourists will come to pay a visit to this historical site because of its historical and religious values.
Besides, a pleasant environment along with modern facilities including most affordable dormitory the tourists would also draw the visitors, they added.
Officials also noted that there were no international-standard hotels or motels in the entire Bagerhat for tourists who come to roam the mangrove forest.
That’s why construction work of such multiple hotels and motels has already been completed for eco-tourism in the southern districts including Satkhria, Khulna, and Bagerhat adjoining Sundarbans.
While talking to The Business Post, state minister for the Civil Aviation and Tourism M Mahbub Ali said, “As we would like to introduce our country’s tourism sector to the globetrotters, the government is implementing various multiple infrastructure development projects such as exclusive Sabrang Tourism Park at Cox’s Bazar, Kuakata Development Project, hotel at Khan Jahan Ali Mazar.”
“An integrated tourism zone will also be set up comprising Kuakata, Taltali, and Patharghata of Barguna district.”
The state minister also said, “Not only the coastal region, development work for several other tourism spots, centres, hotels and motels are underway at different other districts. Bangladesh Tourism Board is working to enhance inbound tourism.”
In order to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs), the government has put more focus on eco-tourism, coastal tourism, and heritage tourism, he added.
Md Zakir Hossain Sikder, general manager (Planning) of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation said, “Two-storied tourism resorts are underway at Nijhum Dwip and Hatia in Noakhali district at a cost of Tk 100 crore. A picnic shed along with 10 guest rooms, restrooms, and rides for the children will be built with own power generation at Tajumuddin launch station of Nijhum Dwip and Char Osman of Hatia.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has approved 16 and 14 acres of land respectively for the two projects at Hatia upazila in August 2018, but the construction work is yet to start due to the Covid-19 pandemic. BPC expects that both of the projects will be concluded by June 2023.
A feasibility study is also underway to build a tourism center titled ‘Bangabandhu Chenanibas’ at Monpura in Bhola and an eco-tourism centre at Char Kukrimukri in the same district.
Chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation Md Hannan Mia said, “An international-standard tourist zone will be built on the river bank at Khurushkul Bakkhali in Cox’s Bazar.”
The low-income families, who are likely to be affected by the construction of Cox’s Bazar airport extension project, will be rehabilitated on a total of 95 acres of land, he added.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism will build a hotel cottage, golf club, amusement park, and 150 feet watchtower to see beautiful and eye-catching natural scenery from Moheskhali island.
Meanwhile, an attractive tourist zone is underway at the Parki seashore at Anowara upazila in Chattogram district along with 10 single cottages, 4 duplex cottages, a multi-purpose building, an artificial lake and picnic shed.
The tourism project will involve nearly Tk 72 crore.
Around 30 per cent of the project work is already done.
Bangladesh Tourism Board will start another tourism spot at Mohamaya irrigation project at Mirsharai of Chattogram district.
