Business Desk :”Tourism development should have received more priority in the country both at the public and private sector levels because the country has many tourist resources and this industry creates huge scope for employment, earning foreign exchange, regional development and in projecting the image of the country abroad”, Rashed Khan Menon, Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism said this while representatives of the Travel World, a monthly travel and tourism journal, met with him at his Secretariat Office recently.Menon generally spoke about the matters related to Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, Tourism Board, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, Hotels International Limited and Bangladesh Services Limited (owners of Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel and Rupashi Bangla), the National Tourism Policy and the National Tourism Council.A summary on some of the salient points are given below:A. National Tourism Policy : The Minister said that he was not aware of the national policy and he would look into the matter. He was told that there is a National Tourism Council with the Prime Minister as its chairperson and under the field of competence of this body; his ministry can forge coordination in all most all the ministries and divisions which are required to help the growth of the Tourism Industry of the country as the leading ministries of the government and important departments are virtually involved in tourism development work. Holding of regular meetings of the tourism council can create a clout for the Ministry of the Civil Aviation and Tourism for the growth of cultural, archaeological, ecological, wildlife, tribal and religious tourism in the country.B. Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited: The national carrier, Biman was converted into a Public Limited Company with a Board of Directors and, therefore, it does not report either to the Government or to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism. As a public limited company it is supposed to unload shares in the market and raise fund from the shareholders but this has not been done during the last five years. The Biman, therefore, looks for government financing either through providing sovereign guarantee or by approving loan deals which ultimately makes it a government outfit. This peculiar situation creates conditions under which Biman evades direct government control as it claims that it is a Public Limited Company under the Companies Act 1994. In fact ever since the airline has been turned into a PLC in 2008 no step has been taken to offload shares to augment its financial condition. This is hampering the smooth operation of Biman despite the fact that it has a professional expatriate managing director. The dilemma existing for the management of Biman now should be removed as soon as possible.C. Developing the Beach Areas: The minister observed that the growth of accommodation facilities and recreational opportunities in Cox’s Bazar and in Kuakata has remained unplanned. This, the minister said, is deterring the growth of domestic and international tourism to these areas. In a larger context the minister said that the BTB should start organizing package tours in cooperation with the public sector and private sector tour operators so that areas like Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal, Kuakata receive more domestic tourists as some infrastructure have already been developed. D. Upgrading the category of Shahjalal International Airport: The present repair and maintenance work of the runway of Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka is likely to be completed by May-June 2014. On completion of these works and on fulfillment of other conditions laid down by ICAO, the airport may be upgraded to category-1 and this will help Biman to expand flights to, particularly New York, as the Federal Aviation Administration of USA is likely to allow Biman’s flight.E. The Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation and Bangladesh Tourism Board: The minister frankly admitted that he has not been able to find the difference between the activities of the two organs which are supposed to develop and promote tourism. There is no clear cut division of responsibilities between the two organizations and hence the activities of both the organizations are suffering. The minister said that he would trying to find out the respective role of both the organizations.F. Creating Tourism consciousness: The minister said that there has to be continuous effort by the agencies under his ministry and also by the private stakeholders to project the benefits of tourism by highlighting various activities of the industry. He expressed his unhappiness due to lack of such activities and emphasized that two organizations namely Bangladesh Tourism Corporation and Bangladesh Tourism Board this two organizations under his ministry should undertake concrete steps in his direction without duplicating their activities.G. Renovation of the Rupashi Bangla Hotel: The minister was in a dilemma regarding the large scale renovation work projected for the Rupashi Bangla Hotel which according to the present operators, Intercontinental Hotel Group, will have to be shutdown. But he was not convinced about such a closure as renovation works by closing sections are done in hotels in many countries. Besides, such a shutdown is likely to create labour movement, he apprehended.
