PM orders major tourist spot development

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directed authorities to take steps to make all places of natural beauty and religious and historic significance in the country attractive to local and foreign tourists.
She also ordered infrastructure development at Cox's Bazar, St Martin and Maheshkhali islands, Kuakata and other major tourist spots, to make use of the prospects of tourism.
The premier gave the directives while presiding over the 1st meeting of the restructured Jatiya Parjatan Parishad (National Tourism Council) at her office yesterday.
Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed newsmen after the meeting, where the prime minister was apprised of the situation of the country's tourism sector.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister GM Quader, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister MA Karim and other secretaries and top officials were present.
The last meeting of the National Tourism Council was held in 2000 and after that no meeting was held during the last BNP-Jamaat and the caretaker governments.
Hasina also suggested introducing Tourist Police to deal with security concerns in the tourism sector.
“A specialised police force for tourism can be created by giving them modern training and facilities,” Hasina said.
While modernising the tourism spots, the traditional beautiful face of rural Bangladesh and the country's culture and heritage will have to be protected from distortion, she said.
The prime minister emphasised maximum utilisation of the world's longest sea beach, Cox's Bazar, and ensuring security of the tourists.
She said the risky spots in the sea beaches, like quick sand, must be identified and marked with red flags and tourists have to be informed about the exact high and low tide timings.
She asked authorities to undertake publicity campaigns to ensure that such warnings are heeded well.
The prime minister said there are hundreds of ancient mosques, temples, pagodas and churches across the country with outstanding architecture and significant history that need to be protected.
Hasina said, "Like all other sectors, the previous governments in the last seven years showed utter negligence” towards the tourism sector.
The country's forests have also been ruined in the last seven years due to reckless felling of tress, she said.
The minister asked the tourism ministry to work with devotion and a new spirit to modernise the tourism industry.
“Other countries present even a small river with much attraction to the tourists. Why shall we lag behind even when nature has bestowed us with its bounty” she questioned.
Hasina said the government has decided to set up a university on the banks of the Rangamati Lake, which will also be an attractive place for tourists.
As peace was restored in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) following the peace accord of 1997, the hill districts could be turned into places with tourism potential.
She also emphasised ensuring representation of the CHT Regional Council in every committee on tourism matters.
The premier reiterated her call to introduce package tourism among the Saarc member countries, particularly among Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan for economic welfare of the region's population.