State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Mahbub Ali urged the local administrations to be vigilant so that all tourists and those involved in tourism industry follow the health guidelines properly in the tourism centers. “The tourism sites in the country, which were closed due to the outbreak of Covid-19, are reopening gradually. The local administrations should strictly monitor the matter so that tourists and general people do not face any kind of health threat,” he said.
The state minister said this on Wednesday while addressing a virtual workshop organized by Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) with Pirojpur district aiming at incorporating the tourism in local development plans and creating public awareness about tourism, said a press release. “All must follow the health guidelines in the tourism centers.
There is no alternative to it,” Mahbub said.
About attracting the tourists, he said, Pirojpur’s traditional Shitalpati, Nesharabad’s cricket bat, Swarupkathi’s floating guava market, Nesharabad and Nazirpur’s floating vegetable gardens and Malta cultivation should be upheld before the tourists through proper publicity.
Local administrations should take effective measures through proper plans for development of the above tourism attractions, the state minister said, adding that the BTB will also take a plan for development of tourism sites in Pirojpur.
Noting that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has set up an example in empowering women all over the world and women empowerment is possible through tourism, he directed the BTB to take steps to cooperate with the women entrepreneurs involved in tourism in Pirojpur. Urging local public representatives, administrations and all tourism stakeholders to work sincerely to make the local people aware and motivate them for tourism, Mahbub said without the direct involvement of local people in tourism, real development of the sector is not possible.
Pirojpur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abu Ali Md Sajjad Hossain presided over the workshop while BTB Director Abu Taher Mohammad Jaber conducted it. BTB’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jabed Ahmed also spoke at the workshop, among others.
