Country's charm to be in focus during SA Games
Monday, 25 January 2010
FE Report
The government has taken some special measures to make Bangladesh one of the best tourism destinations in the south Asian (SA) region.
As part of that goal Bangladesh Tourism Corporation would organise a month-long "Beautiful Bangladesh Festival" from February 1 in Dhaka and Cox's Bazar, when the nation would be playing host to the 11th South Asian Games 2010, the biggest sporting event of the sub- continent, said Shafique Alam Mehedi, secretary-in-charge, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.
"We have selected the time for the festival with the anticipation that a lot of visitors will come to the vanues to enjoy the mega event, which will help us to inform them about the natural beauty the country has," said the secretary-in-charge at a press conference on Sunday.
"There will be around 20 stalls on the Public Library premises at Shahbagh in Dhaka which will put on display tourism-related products of our country. There will be cultural programmes in the evening," he added.
"There will be traditional a food festival, indigenous cultural programmes and concerts at five-star hotels in the city, while beach football, sea-food festival and sand sculpture will be held in Cox's Bazar between February 12 and 27," said Mr Mehedi.
He informed, "The Tourism Protection Act and formulation of National Tourism Board Act have got approval of the cabinet and these are waiting for the clearance of the Ministry of Law."
He said: "The Tourism Policy is ready and we will send it to the authorities in a few days for approval."
Mr. Mehdi said the master plans for Cox's Bazar and Kuakata are under process, while the feasibility study on an international airport is going on.
He said the government has a plan to build a stadium near the beach in Cox's Bazar like in the other countries in the world.
The government has taken some special measures to make Bangladesh one of the best tourism destinations in the south Asian (SA) region.
As part of that goal Bangladesh Tourism Corporation would organise a month-long "Beautiful Bangladesh Festival" from February 1 in Dhaka and Cox's Bazar, when the nation would be playing host to the 11th South Asian Games 2010, the biggest sporting event of the sub- continent, said Shafique Alam Mehedi, secretary-in-charge, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.
"We have selected the time for the festival with the anticipation that a lot of visitors will come to the vanues to enjoy the mega event, which will help us to inform them about the natural beauty the country has," said the secretary-in-charge at a press conference on Sunday.
"There will be around 20 stalls on the Public Library premises at Shahbagh in Dhaka which will put on display tourism-related products of our country. There will be cultural programmes in the evening," he added.
"There will be traditional a food festival, indigenous cultural programmes and concerts at five-star hotels in the city, while beach football, sea-food festival and sand sculpture will be held in Cox's Bazar between February 12 and 27," said Mr Mehedi.
He informed, "The Tourism Protection Act and formulation of National Tourism Board Act have got approval of the cabinet and these are waiting for the clearance of the Ministry of Law."
He said: "The Tourism Policy is ready and we will send it to the authorities in a few days for approval."
Mr. Mehdi said the master plans for Cox's Bazar and Kuakata are under process, while the feasibility study on an international airport is going on.
He said the government has a plan to build a stadium near the beach in Cox's Bazar like in the other countries in the world.