Prime Minister to Unveil National Tourism Masterplan in December, Targeting 1,498 Tourism Sites
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to unveil Bangladesh's long-awaited National Tourism Masterplan next December. Through it, the way will be paved to implement an integrated development strategy centred on about one and a half thousand tourism attractions from January.
Barrister Mutasim Billah Faruqi, chief executive officer of the Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB), said the government is preparing to formally publish the masterplan during the proposed 'Bangladesh Festival' in Dhaka.
The probable dates for the five-day festival have been set for 27 to 31 December. However, the festival's final programme and the Prime Minister's participation have not yet been officially confirmed.
Faruqi said the masterplan is expected to be submitted to the ministry in the first week of December. If the finalisation process is completed and approval is obtained from the National Tourism Council, the aim is to start implementation from January. He said the BTB hopes to receive the masterplan, vetted by the review committee, by 30 November, before sending it for further approval to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.
Since the initiative to prepare a masterplan was taken in 2019, the sector has been waiting for an integrated national development framework. The process was repeatedly delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, administrative complications and repeated reviews under past governments.
According to the summary of the National Tourism Masterplan, the document sets out a long-term development framework from 2024 to 2041. Its main goal is to turn Bangladesh into a competitive and sustainable tourism destination.
The masterplan has identified about 1,498 tourism resources or attraction sites across the country's eight administrative divisions. It proposes integrated development of infrastructure, tourism products, destination management, marketing and human resources.
It sets a target of attracting 5.58 million tourists and creating 21.94 million jobs by 2041.
The framework proposes developing beach, eco-tourism, cultural, heritage, adventure, river-based, rural, cruise and 'MICE' (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) tourism. It also recommends introducing electronic visas (e-visas) to attract investment, strengthening tourist security, strengthening destination management and expanding public-private partnerships. It further recommends strengthening tourism-related institutions by forming regional training centres, destination management organisations and a separate tourism development authority.
Faruqi said implementing the masterplan does not only mean building hotels, resorts and other physical infrastructure. Initial activities may include destination promotion, consultation with tourism businesses, involving local communities and coordinating among government agencies and private sector partners. The masterplan also proposes an implementation framework identifying responsible institutions, alternative sources of financing, project priorities and a monitoring system.
Earlier, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman told the Jatiya Sangsad that the government is preparing an integrated tourism masterplan to build tourism into one of the main sectors for economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction. He also raised plans to build international-standard hotels and tourism facilities on land owned by the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation in Cox's Bazar, Sylhet and Khulna. The government has identified 132.44 acres of land in Cox's Bazar for tourism development on a public-private partnership basis, and a modern tourism training institute is being built on the Motel Laboni premises.
Later, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat told parliament that the government is finalising an integrated masterplan covering about 1,498 tourism sites. Alongside expanding community-based tourism, strengthening tourist security and improving tourism sector data, work has also begun on formulating a 'National Tourism Policy 2026', he said.
Stakeholders in the tourism industry have repeatedly demanded speedy implementation of the masterplan. Mohammad Hanif, president of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), emphasised strong tourism institutions, professional training and policy support. Former TOAB president Md Rafeuzzaman spoke in favour of improving tourists' experience and service quality alongside infrastructure development. Toufiq Rahman, secretary general of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Bangladesh chapter, stressed private sector participation, effective destination management, coordinated implementation, local community participation and environmental sustainability.
