BSS, Dhaka :
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon Saturday urged journalists to project Bangladesh in a positive way so that foreign tourists would be encouraged to visit the country.
“Besides identifying the problems of the tourism industry, the media should focus the country’s achievement positively so that we can attract more foreign tourists here,” he said while speaking at the certificate giving ceremony of Tourism Fellowship 2015 at Hotel Abakash in the capital.
Aviation and Tourism Journalists’ Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB) with the support of Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) conducted the fellowship programme for journalists where ten reporters from print and electronic media awarded fellowship.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Khorshed Alam Chowdhury, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) Chairman Dr Aparup Chowdhury, BTB CEO Akhtaruz Zaman Khan Kabir, Editor of The Bangladesh Monitor Kazi Wahidul Alam, ATJFB President Nadira Kiron, Vice President Muzib Masud and General Secretary Tanzim Anwar also spoke on the occasion.
Speaking as the chief guest, Rashed Khan Menon said the government has taken a number of initiatives on connectivity front that will help making Cox’s Bazar a tourism hub in the region.
The minister described the initiatives taken so far including expansion of railway network from Dohazari to Gundam (Myanmar) through Teknaf, Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar four-lane road, Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf two-lane marine drive and up-gradation of Cox’s Bazar airport into an international standard one with refueling facilities.
He also mentioned that the recently signed four-nation motor vehicles deal comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal which will help increase the flow of tourists.
Menon said the government is sincere to increase the facilities and security of both local and foreign tourists.
He however, said the issue of financing remains a barrier to rapid improvement in the country’s tourism industry and successful implementation of the programmes taken to mark the Tourism Year 2016. “The government is sincere to implement the programmes taken to observe the tourism year that has set a target to attract one million tourists here next year,” he said.
He said all the stakeholders, including the media, would have to be engaged to help the government to make the tourism year a success.
Later, the minister handed over certificates to 10 journalists in recognition of their successful completion of the fellowship programme. Each reporter was also given a cheque of Taka 60,000.
The awardees are Shariful Hasan, senior correspondent of the Daily Prothom Alo, AKM Moinuddin, senior correspondent of UNB, Mizan Chowdhury, senior correspondent of the Daily Jugantor, Masud Rumee of Kalerkantho, Imran Patwari of Bhorer Kagoj, Kamran Siddiqui of Samakal, Niladri Moharatna of Independent TV, Rajib Ghosh of ATN News, Imtiaz Ahmed of Somoy TV and Khalid Ahsan of BTV.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon Saturday urged journalists to project Bangladesh in a positive way so that foreign tourists would be encouraged to visit the country.
“Besides identifying the problems of the tourism industry, the media should focus the country’s achievement positively so that we can attract more foreign tourists here,” he said while speaking at the certificate giving ceremony of Tourism Fellowship 2015 at Hotel Abakash in the capital.
Aviation and Tourism Journalists’ Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB) with the support of Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) conducted the fellowship programme for journalists where ten reporters from print and electronic media awarded fellowship.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Khorshed Alam Chowdhury, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) Chairman Dr Aparup Chowdhury, BTB CEO Akhtaruz Zaman Khan Kabir, Editor of The Bangladesh Monitor Kazi Wahidul Alam, ATJFB President Nadira Kiron, Vice President Muzib Masud and General Secretary Tanzim Anwar also spoke on the occasion.
Speaking as the chief guest, Rashed Khan Menon said the government has taken a number of initiatives on connectivity front that will help making Cox’s Bazar a tourism hub in the region.
The minister described the initiatives taken so far including expansion of railway network from Dohazari to Gundam (Myanmar) through Teknaf, Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar four-lane road, Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf two-lane marine drive and up-gradation of Cox’s Bazar airport into an international standard one with refueling facilities.
He also mentioned that the recently signed four-nation motor vehicles deal comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal which will help increase the flow of tourists.
Menon said the government is sincere to increase the facilities and security of both local and foreign tourists.
He however, said the issue of financing remains a barrier to rapid improvement in the country’s tourism industry and successful implementation of the programmes taken to mark the Tourism Year 2016. “The government is sincere to implement the programmes taken to observe the tourism year that has set a target to attract one million tourists here next year,” he said.
He said all the stakeholders, including the media, would have to be engaged to help the government to make the tourism year a success.
Later, the minister handed over certificates to 10 journalists in recognition of their successful completion of the fellowship programme. Each reporter was also given a cheque of Taka 60,000.
The awardees are Shariful Hasan, senior correspondent of the Daily Prothom Alo, AKM Moinuddin, senior correspondent of UNB, Mizan Chowdhury, senior correspondent of the Daily Jugantor, Masud Rumee of Kalerkantho, Imran Patwari of Bhorer Kagoj, Kamran Siddiqui of Samakal, Niladri Moharatna of Independent TV, Rajib Ghosh of ATN News, Imtiaz Ahmed of Somoy TV and Khalid Ahsan of BTV.
