We can post any tourism related news and articles here. Let's leave "Beautiful Bangladesh" for photos only.

Langalbandh to be developed as tourist spot

Langalbandh, a holy place in Narayanganj for the country's Hindu community, will be developed as a tourist spot. The decision came from an inter-ministerial meeting with Religious Affairs Adviser Maj Gen (Retd.) Dr ASM Matiur Rahman in the chair.

The Deputy Commissioner of the district has been asked to submit a project plan on land requisition mentioning the quantity of khas and vested property to the ministry concerned within the next 15 days.

The meeting also decided that an 8-km area along the Brahmaputra River would be re-excavated and 14 ghats would be reconstructed by Water Ministry under the supervision of Religious Affairs Ministry as part of the proposed project.

Besides, the Architecture Department would formulate a master plan following which the ministries concerned would reconstruct the mandirs, set up shades, guide-walls, roads and other necessary infrastructures.

The Ministry of Forest and Environment would set up a tree-shadow, a tourist corporation and a restaurant as a part of the project. A police station would also be set up to ensure public security in the area.

Religious Affairs secretary Ataur Rahman, Water Resources secretary Syed Mohammad Jobayer, joint secretary of Agriculture Ministry Latfur Rahman, Land Ministry joint secretary Murtaza Ahmed were, among others, present in the meeting.

http://www.bangladeshmonitor.net/tourism_story.php?recordID=301

Tk 700m projects for development of Kuakata tourist spot

The government has taken up projects involving Tk 700 million (70 crore) for development of the Kuakata tourist spot.

A two-year project involving Taka 100 million (10 crore) for infrastructural development includes renovation of two Buddhist temples, development of a youth tourist centre, construction of a motel and purchase of modern transports.

Another project costing Taka 600 million includes construction of three bridges, and a motel at Barisal is under consideration, sources said.
The infrastructural development project proposal has already been completed. The Public Works Department will renovate the two Buddhist temples.

The rest of the work includes construction of a 10-bed motel, a 200-bed youth tourist centre and purchase of two air conditioned luxury tourist buses by the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation.

http://www.financialexpress-bd.com/i...=60700&spcl=no

Three-day tourism fair in Dhaka begins on September 6

The tour operators will arrange a three-day travel and tourism fair in Dhaka in early September with exclusive offers to attract the tourists from home and abroad.

Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh will organise the Bangladesh Travel and Tourism Fair-2007 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city on September 6-8, TOAB leaders unveiled this at a press conference on Wednesday.

Addressing the press briefing, TOAB president Hasan Monsur said for the first time the main stakeholders of the industry is going to organise such a fair aiming to promote tourism for the local and foreign tourists.

Around 100 organisations, including 30 from abroad, are expected to showcase their products participating at the fair.

The home participants include, tour operators, travel agents, hotels, airlines, resorts, transport operators, theme and amusement parks, banks and insurance companies.

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh and GMG Airlines will extend support to organise the fair and Dhaka Sheraton Hotel, Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Radisson Water Garden Hotel, Westin Hotel and Resort, and Hotel Washington will be the fair partner.

The association leaders said they had already approached to the government and heads of foreign missions in Dhaka, including the SAARC countries, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand for extending cooperation to guide the tourism organisations of their respective countries to take part at the fair.

Hasan Monsur said the number tourists had increased significantly in the country during the past few years. The tour operators and other tourism service stakeholders faced difficulty in providing accommodation, transports and other facilities, cooping up with the growing demand of the tourists.

The association leaders sought government supports for the forward march of the industry and demanded more facilities, including the existing discounts the tour operators were getting at the hotels and motels of Parjatan Corporation.

Dhaka Sheraton Hotel general manager Trevor Macdonald, Westin Dhaka general manager San Amalan, Radisson Hotel general manger Ian R Barron, Bangladesh Biman general manager Abdullah Al Hasan, GMG general manager Quazi Shahriar, ATAB president MA Mohaimen Saleh and Agrabad Hotel managing director Hakim Ali also addressed the press briefing.

http://www.newagebd.com/busi.html

Government to select some places to develop tourist spots

The government will select several new places across the country to develop tourist spots aiming to give a fillip to the emerging industry in the country. Several teams, formed by the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC), have already started visiting places to identify potential tourist spots, BPC sources said.

The teams will finish identifying the spots by January next year and review the findings and finalise the list of the spots for development work in February, they said.

They will prefer the places that are historically significant, rich in natural beauties, bio-diversity and culturally unique.

Sources said ancient mosques, Buddhist monasteries, Hindu temples, monuments and other landmarks exist throughout the country. Those could be spots of attractions to tourists from both home and abroad if properly developed.

Massive media campaign will begin to make the tourist spots popular following the preparation of the final list, they said.

The development of tourist spots will add impetus to investment in hotel and resort, restaurants, entertainment and recreational facilities. Tea gardens in Sylhet, Cox's Bazar sea-beach, the Royal Bengal Tiger, deer and the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world with unique bio-diversity are the major potential tourist attractions in the country. The extension of facilities in the existing spots will also help attract tourists, they said.

Sources said proper development of the tourism sector will open avenues for a wide range of investments. Tourism is a hospitality industry catering to tourists as well as those on business or official trips. The future plan for development of tourism will put high importance on the issue.

The growth of the tourism sector depends on capacity to attract the backpackers, holidaymakers, nature-watchers, researchers in ecological, historical and archaeological splendours and the like. An increase in the number of tourists in the categories of traders, investors and government functionaries will depend on increased economic activities and geopolitical importance, BPC sources said.

Bangladesh with its rich natural beauties keeps many potential tour pockets untapped, as policy strength in drawing private investments is far behind expectation. Building of necessary infrastructure for offering impetus to prospective investors in tour and entertainment industries could not be extended. The plan based on the findings of the teams will be chalked out to remove the existing constraints to expansion of tourism, sources said.

http://www.financialexpress-bd.com/index3.asp?cnd=6/1/2007&section_id=1&newsid=62845&spcl=no

Pakshey can be a great tourism spot

Pakshey can be a great tourism spot as it possesses commonly eye catching panoramic views round the Hardringe and Lalon Shah bridges.

Official sources here said Hardringe Bridge, the biggest railway bridge of the country, was constructed over the River Padma in 1910, and is attracting people even after 97 years.

A 1.8-km Lalon Shah Bridge was also constructed here in 2004 for the direct road communication between north and south regions. And the government established a number of structures centring the two bridges.

Lalon Shah Bridge project office sources said a residential area was established here on eight acres of land when the bridge was being constructed.

There are a total of 20 cottages in the area with three and twin beds. The air-conditioned cottages are decorated with high quality furniture.

http://www.financialexpress-bd.com/index3.asp?cnd=6/3/2007&section_id=3&newsid=63024&spcl=no

A nice website. Not very many photos but pretty informative.

http://www.tourdhaka.com/index.html

BPC starts privatisation of 11 tourist establishments

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) has started the process of privatisation of 11 tourist establishments for better management and for providing better service to the tourists.

BPC sources said the 11 tourist establishments proposed for leasing included Kuakata holiday homes, tourist motels at Khagrachhari and Benapole, four cottages, bar, and auditorium of Rangamati tourist complex, holiday complex at Sagordari, Hotel Netong and Madhumati at Teknaf and Tungipara, restaurant at Madhavkunda, swimming pool at Cox's Bazaar, floating restaurant Merry Anderson at Pagla and rent-a-car facilities at BPC headquarters at Tejgaon.

BPC invited quotations for these establishments and tenders would be open on September 11 for selecting bidders.

Director (Business) of BPC acknowledging the fact said that they took the privatisation initiative as government can never do better in business and it is very hard to earn profit from public sector competing with the private sector.

Sources in BPC said they also requested the Planning Commission to revise and increase the estimate of tourist attraction development project of Kuakata.

Tender of the project for developing motel, two Buddhist temples and youth tourist hostel at a cost of Tk 10 crore was called two times, but the BPC failed to select any standard firm for the works due to some technical difficulties.

The sources also said the firms are not interested to do the works, as costing of transportation of materials to Kuakata is higher than other places due to lack of direct road communication facilities from the nearest loading points of the cargoes.

They said they have requested the Planning Commission to increase estimate of the project cost.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=794

Tk 70cr project to develop Kuakata undertaken

The Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) has taken up a Tk 70 crore Kuakata development project to make the sea beach more attractive to tourists of home and abroad, BPC and Kuakata Parjatan motel sources said.

A two-year project involving Tk 1,000 lakh for infrastructure development including renovation of two Buddhist temples, development of a youth tourist centre, construction of a motel and purchase of modern transport vehicles has been undertaken, Khalid-Bin-Majid, deputy Manager of BPC said.

Another project costing Tk 6,000 lakh includes construction of three bridges and a motel in Barisal town, sources said.

The project proposal has already been completed.

The Public Works Department will renovate the Buddhist temples. Rest of the work includes construction of a 100-bed motel, 200-bed youth tourist centre and purchase of two air-conditioned luxury tourist buses.

After completion the work, Kuakata, situated about 72 Kilometre south of Patuakhali district town, will be more attractive to the tourists of home and abroad, Faruquzzaman, maneger of Kuakata Parjatan Motel said.

The scenic beauty of Kuakata has already attracted many foreign and Bangladeshi tourists. Sunrise and sunset are distinctly visible at the sea the beach.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=1463

^^ I am curious about the Buddhists of Kuakata...are they ethnic Bengalis? Or did they migrate here from Chittagong Hill Tracts area? I would be interested to learn more about how these shrines came to be built here.

Banglalink Dhaka Tourism Fair kicks off Friday

In a bid to promote tourism in the country, Banglalink Dhaka Tourism Fair 2007kicks off Friday.

The 3-day fair will also give the tourists a chance to have an idea of the services and attractions different tourist spots offer, according to Parjatan Bichitra, the organiser.

'Show the country to its people' is the slogan of the fair that will take place at the city's shopping mall, Bashundhara City.

Mobile phone operator Banglalink is the title sponsor of the fair while Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB), Tourism Developers Association of Bangladesh (TDAB), GMG Airlines, United Airways, Hotel the Peninsula Chittagong, Jamuna Resort, Bangladesh Eco-Village Network and Hotel Tower in Chittagong will be co-sponsors.

Channel i, Radio Today, the daily Jugantar, the daily New Age are the media partners of the fair.

A total of 80 organisations including eco tourism firm, theme park organisation, hotel, motel, resort, airlines, tour operators, travel agencies, coach service, tourism training institute, tourism publications, holiday discount card, travel shop, youth and adventure clubs will take part in the fair. It will remain open from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm.

At a press conference at the National Press Club yesterday, the organisers said sustainable growth of tourism industry is not possible without the improvement of in house tourism industry that means structure, travel management and directions in accordance with the demand of the local tourists.

Tourism services of different attractive and visiting places of the country would be accumulated in the fair, they added.

"Moreover, attractive travel offers by different tourist spots in the coming tourism season, special discount in hotel or package booking are there," said Mohiuddin Helal, editor of the Parjatan Bichitra told.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=1684

Saint Martin's Island, locally known as Narikel Jinjira is a small and only coral islet of Bangladesh about 14km southwest of the southernmost town of Teknaf, off the mainland. The island lies between 92°18’ and 92°21’E longitudes and 20°34’ and 20°39’N latitudes.<br>
http://www.bangladeshmonitor.net/images/sep1-07/images/78.jpg
Several living small coral colonies are found in small sheltered pools very near the low tide level around the island. They also occur in the surrounding shallow sea, mostly growing on the beach rocks and calcareous sandstone concretions. The dead coral colonies also occur in pool-like depressions within the high and low tide levels. Some of them are located at an elevation of nearly 3.50m above the low tide level. The oldest fossil coral belongs to Late Pleistocene, giving an age of 33,238 years.
The island people own this island and the early settlement started in 1880s. Moulavi Firoj Ahmed, Chairman of Saint Martin Union Parishad informed The Bangladesh Monitor that the present population is about 6000 and the economy is based on seasonal fishing and natural resources like shell, cones, corals, sea-turtles eggs etc. Most of island's inhabitants live primarily from fishing, and between October and April fisher and from neighbouring areas bring their catch to the islands temporary wholesale market. Rice, Onion, Ginger and coconuts the other staple crops, and algae is collected and dried from the sea rocks and sold for consumption to Myanmar..FULL STORY (http://www.bangladeshmonitor.net/tourism_story.php?recordID=363)..

Campaign for responsible tourism launched

With an aim to create environment awareness among the youths and highlight the benefits of sustainable tourism in Bangladesh, a month-long campaign for responsible tourism was launched yesterday at Dhaka University.

A quiz marked the opening of the “Banglalink Explore Bangladesh: Youth Awareness Campaign for Responsible Tourism 2007” at the Teachers Students Centre (TSC) of the university.

The Guide Tours Ltd, a private tour operator, organised the campaign in collaboration with Nishorgo Programme of Bangladesh Forest Department and Earth Club of North-South University. Banglalink, a cell phone service provider, is sponsoring the programme.

The Dhaka University Tourists' Society (DUTS) also gave assistance to the inauguration of the programme.

Students of some 16 educational institutions in the city will participate in the campaign that includes various interactive programmes like theatre performances and quiz competitions with the students, according to the organisers.

DU Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof AFM Yusuf Haider, Prof Anwar Ul Islam, Philip J DeCosse, chief-of-party of the Forest Department's Nishorgo Support Project, Elizabeth Berens of the Guide Tours Ltd, and representatives from the DUTS and the NSU Earth Club were present on the occasion.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=10584

Tan, don't you wish you could attend this exhibition?

Documenting our archaeological heritage

Although better known for its floods and corruption, Bangladesh is a country that is rich with culture and archaeological treasures. Most of these archaeological sites, however, have eroded over the centuries and the sites that still remain are also in danger of being destroyed. The lack of proper preservation of these historical relics that has led to their careless destruction has also led to the disappearance of many archaeological gems and jewels.

With the hopes to document the remaining archaeological sites within Bangladesh, the ‘Mati Imaging Bangladesh’ is holding a ten-day photography exhibition at the Drik Gallery in Dhanmondi from November 16. After having to choose from a total of 1213 photographs that were submitted by 269 photographers during the national photography competition on historical sites of Bangladesh, 141 photographs by 56 photographers are on display.

Apart from photos of the most popular sites in Bangladesh, photographers have taken images of less famous structures that were erected over hundreds of years during the rules of different dynasties. One such telling picture is the ‘Lamar Para Buddhist Temple-1’ taken by Naima Perveen. Naima’s picture of the magnificent structure gives a glimpse into the sort of glorious influence Buddhists had in Bangladesh. The photograph shows a huge golden temple built on a hill top in 1800 at Ramu in Cox’s Bazar. The rolling green hills in the background of the photograph evokes a sense of serenity and harmony within the viewer.

The ‘Hawa Khana’ taken by Tanvir-ul-Hossain, shows a two-storied brick structure where Raja Naresh Narayan Bahadur and his wife Sureshwari Devi used to visit during vacations. The picture speaks volumes of how the wealthy led their life in the past.

Most of the photographs manifest the poor condition in which these priceless archaeological sites are kept, especially those that exist in remote areas. Although the photographers present the structures as artistically as possible it is in plain view that the Bangladeshi government has done very little to maintain this part of Bangladeshi heritage.

‘We want to display these photos to the people of this generation to show them that the country has a rich archaeological heritage. We want to create awareness and appreciation among people to preserve these treasure,’ says, Sayeed Bin Anwar, a member of the organisation Mati Imaging Bangladesh. He continued to say, ‘these photographs will also be considered a strong testament to their existence. Our future generations will at least be able to see these photographs and learn about our history.’

The prize giving ceremony will be held today at 4:00pm at the gallery and the exhibition will continue till November 25.

‘Historical Sites of Bangladesh’
November 15 - November 25
From 3:00pm to 8:00pm
Drik Gallery,
House 58, Road 15/A (new), Dhanmondi

http://www.newagebd.com/2007/nov/23/nov23/xtra_also2.html

Tan, don't you wish you could attend this exhibition?
http://www.newagebd.com/2007/nov/23/nov23/xtra_also2.html

That would be nice, Tmac :) It's also nice that people are documenting what's left...but much more important would be action to better conserve them.

I have been collecting some pictures for a "Yesteryear" thread...among them some pictures of Mainamati from the 1960s...you can compare how sharp the edges of the buildings in Mainamati were back then, to what they are now...corroded by being left exposed to rain and moisture, and with people walking on them. The same of course for the other archaeological sites. That is why I advocate at minimum building a roof over these structures and preventing people from walking on them, and later down the line when we are a wealthier country, to build large air-conditioned buildings enclosing the major sites. These brick buildings are not like the stone ruins of other (usually drier) countries...if left in current state they will gradually vanish.

Kuakata sea beach less affected by Sidr
Tourists flowing in again

Kuakata sea beach which presents picturesque scenes of sunrise and sunset in sea is preparing to entertain tourists, three weeks after hurricane Sidr.

Compared to other areas, the 17 kilometre natural beach was less devastated by Sidr, locals said.

A team of journalists during a recent visit saw the tourist spot already cleaned up and hotel owners prepared to receive tourists, keeping an eye on the ensuing Eid-ul-Adha vacation.

Tourists have started flowing in as road links have been restored, they said.

Relief teams coming from different areas of the country, after finishing their work do not forget to stay for a couple of days to enjoy the scenic beauty, they said.

But there are still signs of destruction in Ashrayan (model village) project, LGED rest house, bio gas plant, T and T office, markets, jhaw and coconut gardens outside the coastal embankment. Repair of the damaged is going on in full swing

Inside the embankment, there was no serious sigh of damage except some uprooted trees and tore down shanties.

Local people said saline water from sea entered Majhibari and Jaliakata areas, about 5 kilometers from Kuakata main sea beach.

Researcher Hasanul Iqbal said its geographical location, structure of sea beds, emerging under water shoals and other unique characteristics saved Kuakata sea beach from destruction.

Hasan Abidur Reza, director of A B Graph, an NGO doing research on safety in country's sea beaches, said after hurricane Sidr, Kuakata again proved to be one of the safest sea beaches in the world.

Abdul Barek Molla, chairman of Latachapli Union Parishad in Kuakata, claimed that since independence, only three tourist died in Kuakata sea beach due to their ignorance about swimming.

There was no incident of death by drowning in quicksand (chorabali) or being washed away during low tide in Kuakata. “You can even enjoy a car drive on sands in the long sea beach without any danger”, he said.

However, in areas surrounding the beach, there was massive destruction. About 75 per cent of plantations, housing and other establishment were damaged by Sidr.

Kuakata sea beach and areas inside the embankment were less affected, the UP chairman said.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=14883

Ministry to seek Tk 200cr for tourism development

The ministry of civil aviation and tourism will ask for Tk 200 crore in the next budget to improve the tourism sector as part of a regional initiative in South Asia, an adviser said Monday.

The adviser for tourism, MA Matin, said he hoped the finance ministry would allocate Tk 100 crore to his ministry for the current fiscal year.

Speaking to reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting at the Secretariat, he said the plan is part of a coordinated project taken by the South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation for the development of tourism in the region.

Bangladesh lacks adequate facilities in attracting tourists despite its vast diversity in the nature and lifestyle.

The country has the world’s longest sea beach, the world’s largest mangrove forest and a hilly region.

Tourism sector insiders say Bangladesh can earn a huge amount of foreign currencies from the sector like India and Nepal.

International tourists, who travel to neighbouring India and Nepal, could easily make a brief stopover in Bangladesh if they get enough confidence to visit the delta nation, they say.

Matin said Monday’s meeting also discussed a number of development activities in various tourist spots and an airport in Mongla.

The government would make a decision on the airport soon, he said without providing further details.

The tourism ministry will look into how it could develop the tourism-related infrastructure, he said.

The meeting also proposed to ensure easy visas to the people of the region, he said.

‘Despite a huge potential of the sector we can’t provide tourists with sufficient facilities,’ Matin said.

‘The infrastructure of air travel in the country is very poor. The road and railway infrastructure has the same fate. There is no sports facility for tourists in Cox’s Bazar. But such facilities are important to help flourish the sector,’ he said.

He expressed dissatisfaction over the high charges of hotels in the country. ‘The charges of hotels are as high as in developed countries. Why would the tourists stay there?’ he said.

http://www.newagebd.com/busi.html

^^We need to spend money urgently in the development of tourism. Unfortunately this sector has been neglected for years. The rate of return would be high for investing in the development of this sector.

Bangladesh included in contest for seven new wonders of nature

Cox's Bazar beach and Sundarbans mangrove forest of Bangladesh have been included as nominees in an online contest for nominating 'New 7 Wonders of Nature'.

Switzerland-based foundation, New7Wonders Foundation has arranged the global campaign which will be officially declared in summer of 2010.

According to the website of the Foundation, voting for nominees for the new contest will continue until December 31, 2008. Nominees receiving the highest number of votes will be considered by the New 7 Wonders Panel of experts for final shortlisting.

The shortlist of the selected 21 candidates will be announced in January 2009 and will move to the next stage of voting.

The final voting will continue between 2009 and 2010.

Earlier the Great Wall of China topped the list of the new Seven Wonders of the World announced on July 7 of this year at a ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal.

Also making the grade were Brazil's Statue of Christ Redeemer, Peru's Machu Picchu, Mexico's Chichen Itza pyramid, Jordan's Petra, the Colosseum in Rome and India's Taj Mahal.

The sites were selected according to a tally of around 100 million votes cast by people around the world over the Internet and by cell phone text messages, the non-profit organisation that conducted the poll said, making it the biggest online vote ever.

The Great Pyramids of Giza, the only surviving structures from the original seven wonders of the ancient world, kept their status in addition to the new seven.

The campaign to pick the seven new wonders begun in 1999 by Swiss adventurer Bernard Weber. His Switzerland-based foundation, called New7Wonders, received some 200 nominations from around the world and then narrowed the list to 21 candidates for the public to vote for.

Among the sites that did not make the final list of seven wonders were the Statue of Liberty, Britain's Stonehenge and Paris' Eiffel Tower.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, maintains its own list of World Heritage sites and distanced itself from the seven wonders balloting, saying it reflected only the opinion of those who voted.

Organisers of the contest conceded that there was no foolproof way to prevent people from voting more than once for their favourite. They claimed votes came in from every country in the world.

Except for Egypt's Pyramids, all the other architectural marvels on the original ancient list of seven wonders have vanished. They were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the Pharos lighthouse off Alexandria in Egypt.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/search_index.php?page=detail_news&news_id=20891

SEVEN WONDERS OF NATURE
Cox’s Bazar, Sundarban,
Ganges lead the race
Parvin Khaleda

Three major heritages of Bangladesh are still leading the contest for a place among seven new wonders of nature.
Cox’s Bazar, the world’s longest natural sandy sea beaches (120 km), was in the top position till Friday among the 158 nominated sites across the world.
Sundarban Delta, the largest mangrove forest in the world, was trailing second and the Ganges, the 2,510km-long river flowing through India and Bangladesh, was ranking third in the voting. Contest among the nominated natural sites will continue till December 31, 2008.Then a new panel of experts will prepare a list of 21 candidate sites from which voters worldwide will elect the new seven wonders of nature.
After the success of seven new wonders of the world campaign, the non-profit ‘New7 Wonders Foundation’ started the campaign for the seven wonders of nature. A total of 158 natural sites across the world have been nominated till date and voting through Internet website is continuing to select the top 21 sites for final voting.
Anyone could vote for selecting seven top natural sites of the world on www.new7wonders.com.
Davolja Varos, a group of earth pyramids in the Radan Mountains in the southern region of Serbia was in the 4th position till Friday and Mount Everest of Nepal was trailing 5th.

Source:http://www.newagebd.com/front.html#11

1500-yr-old brick structure excavated in Bogra

http://www.thedailystar.net/photos/2008-01-19__back01.jpg
Workers excavate the brick structure of a 1,500-year-old temple at the Vasu Bihara site in Shibganj upazila of Bogra. An ornamental brick, inset, found at the site.

The Department of Archaeology recently excavated brick structure of a temple more than 1,500 years old and a dilapidated wall from the Gupta dynasty at the Vasu Bihara site of Shibganj upazila in Bogra.

Archaeologist Mahabubul Alam, assistant custodian of the department, said the brick built temple resembles the temple of Vasu Bihara constructed during the Pala dynasty suggesting it belonged to the same period.

Chinese pilgrim Yuang Chwang, during his visit to the area between 639AD and 645AD, saw several temples near Vasu Bihara which is known as Narapatir Dhap, Alam said.

Nahid Sultana, custodian of the department, said during the ongoing archaeological excavation, walls, held together with mud, about two metres wide and antiques including part of an ornamental brick have been found. "But the entrance gate has not yet been found," she said.

Most of the bricks on the walls are 35cm long, 27cm wide and four centimetres thick. To protect the walls of the main structure of the temple from collapsing, support walls were built with the same kind of bricks. A brick-built floor of a room of the temple was also discovered in western side of the structure.

During excavation of trench No-15, a dilapidated wall dating back to the Gupta dynasty (320AD-550AD) was found under the recently discovered structure, Alam said.

Further excavation is required to get more information about the wall but the department cannot do so due to fund constraint, he added.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=19882

Picturesque Khagrachhari
A little attention can make it a prime tourism spot

http://www.thedailystar.net/photos/2008-01-19__back05.jpg
Reechang waterfall is one of the most attractive tourist spots in Khagrachhari. Like this, there are some 10 waterfalls in the district.

Picturesque hill district of Khagrachhari, despite having plenty of natural features to be a prime tourist destination, is losing out due to absence of cellular communication and modern tourism facilities.

Harmonious existence of culturally diverse ethnic groups along with its breathtaking landscape showcasing several artificial and natural lakes, scenic valleys and natural waterfalls, Khagrachhari, with a little more infrastructural development, can stand out and turn into a favourite choice of tourists from home and abroad.

Khagrachhari is laid out on 2,600 square kilometres of rugged terrain where six lakh inhabitants from different tribes of Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Santals, Pankho and Rakhine live peacefully with Bangalee settlers.

The locations that draw most visitors are tourist spots and Parjatan motel at Ramgor upazila, Alutilla Parjatan spot and Buddhist temple, Reechang natural waterfall, Debotar Pukur, Panchhari Aranya Kutir, Dighinala suspension bridge, Krishi Gabeshana institute, and the snaky and curved Chenghi and Mainee rivers.

The Alutilla Parjatan spot attracts most visitors as it is only 15 to 20 minutes away from Khagrachhari town. The Alutilla Buddhist temple, a mysterious cave and several majestic waterfalls are also located here. The fascinating view of the town and the River Chenghi from hilltops can mesmerise any visitor.

Reechang natural waterfall, the largest waterfall in Khagrachhari, is located in the dense tropical rain forest of Alutilla.

Another popular attraction, Debotar Pukur or the pond of gods, is situated about a thousand feet above the sea level on top of a hill. The level of water in this pond remains the same all year round and visitors are allowed to go for a dip in it.

Khagrachhari has a number of government and private rest houses, motels, hotels and guesthouses that are rented out at very reasonable rates.

Several transport companies are currently operating comfortable bus services to and from Khagrachhari and the travel is expected to get more comfortable after the completion of the ongoing road expansion work in the area, said sources.

Narrow roads and unavailability of cellular phone network and quality restaurants meeting hygiene standards are the three drawbacks that hold back most tourists, especially from overseas, from making a trip to Khagrachhari, the sources added.

Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, manager of Khagrachhari Parjatan Motel, said the most difficult hurdle tourists face in the district is the unavailability of cellular communication network. Their patrons, mostly business owners, do not want to be in Khagrachhari as they fear of incurring financial losses due to being unable to take care of their business over their cellphones, he added.

Asked to comment on the security situation in the district, Tareq Ahmed, assistant superintendent of police in Khagrachhari, said security measures taken for both local and foreign tourists are adequate. He however stressed on the need for further development of infrastructures to ensure enhanced security.

Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury on December 13 told journalists that the government would undertake special projects and establish an ecotourism facility in Khagrachhari to promote tourism in the area.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=19877

http://www.thedailystar.net/photos/2008-01-19__back05.jpg
Reechang waterfall is one of the most attractive tourist spots in Khagrachhari. Like this, there are some 10 waterfalls in the district.

Tan do you have anything to add to that?

Tan do you have anything to add to that?

I appreciate the article Tmac. I don't know much about waterfalls in BD except what I read about on Banglapedia. I am not familiar with any of the falls in Khagrachhari although I did find a picture on Flickr (posted a while back) of a falls at Alutila which I guess is another of the ten referred to in the article. The Banglapedia article mentions a number of unnamed falls in the Hill Tracts, the tallest one mentioned being 350 ft near Lulaing peak in Bandarban. This latter article is by one Sitaful Qader Chowdhury...I have thought about seeking him out on one of my trips to BD to find out more about some of these falls...but realistically that probably won't happen. I am sure there are a number of undocumented falls in the more remote areas of the Hill Tracts. Some day as BD develops some enthusiast will hopefully write a book on the subject. Such books are how I learn about falls near my current home.

There are so many unknown places in Bd waiting to be discovered.I reall wish to tour the Chittagong,Rangmati and Bandarban areas someday..not knowing what to find can be fun.

What's the total number tourists to Bangladesh in 2006 ? From this interesting site, http://www.bangladeshtourism.gov.bd/2006_resource_center_foreign_sh2.php it should be around 300,000.

What's the total number tourists to Bangladesh in 2006 ? From this interesting site, http://www.bangladeshtourism.gov.bd/2006_resource_center_foreign_sh2.php it should be around 300,000.

There is great potential in tourism. If only the government and the private sector would become serious about it.

DVD on tourism launched

The Bengal Tours Ltd., a leading tour operator, released a DVD on tourism in Bangladesh yesterday.

Shaikh Altaf Ali, secretary to the civil aviation and tourism ministry, formally launched the DVD of a documentary titled 'Bangladesh: The land of smiles' at a ceremony at Sonargaon Hotel.

The 18-minute documentary produced by the Bengal Tours covers all aspects of tourism and facilities available in the country and it is in English, Japanese and Chinese.

Speaking as the chief guest, Shaikh Altaf Ali emphasised the need for collaboration between public and private sectors to promote tourism in the country.

Hafizur Rahman Bhuiyan, chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, was present as the special guest.

The Bengal Tours also honoured A Masud Chowdhury, writer and environment activist, and Akhtaruzzaman Kamal, popularly known as 'Bagh mama', at the programme for their contribution to the promotion of tourism in the country.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=20827

1500-yr-old brick structure excavated in Bogra

..............................

Hope they are using experts to oversee the work and employ students to assist the task. If they are using "any" contractor hiring anybody for excavation, they will ruin the place.

Hope they are using experts to oversee the work and employ students to assist the task. If they are using "any" contractor hiring anybody for excavation, they will ruin the place.

Just as important...they need to build roofs over these structures and create some surface water drainage system. No one seems to appreciate the need. These structures have been preserved by luck of particular soil environment in which they were buried. If left exposed in our climate and uncared for they will deteriorate rapidly. One has just to look at most the Mughal and Colonial period structures that have not been restored to see how rapid the pace can be.

Saudia, S Alam tie up to drive Mercedes Benz bus on highway
Sohel Parvez

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg225/mirzazeehan18/2008-02-12__bus02.jpg


Two of the country's long distant bus companies, Saudia and S Alam, have joined together to bring 100 Mercedes' Benz coaches worth around Tk150 crore to Bangladesh as the battle for luxury class passengers on the country's main highways intensifies.

Ten of the 41-seater Mercedes Benz to be operated by Saudia and S Alam have already started running on the Dhaka-Chittagong-Cox's Bazar route and further 90 vehicles are to be supplied during the next 12 months.
According to the companies, this is the first time Mercedes Benz coaches have been used on a large scale in Bangladesh.

“People in our country like this brand very much. We have brought the bus as passengers also want a comfortable journey,” said Kafil Uddin, vice chairman of Mostofa Group, the parent organisation of Saudia Coach Service.

Experts said entry of Mercedes Benz in bus service will increase competition in the luxury segment as two of the country's other coach service providers-Green Line, Shohagh Paribhan (Pvt.) Ltd are offering services with Scania and Volvo buses on different routes in Bangladesh.

“The more the competition the more the benefit of passengers,” Abdus Samad Labu, vice chairman of S Alam Group, said, adding that parent organisations of the coach service formed the joint venture to do business on a greater scale.

“It will also help minimise risk factors and cut costs,” he said.

Usage of high tech or air conditioned buses from the prestigious global manufacturers started in Bangladesh during the late nineties in order to cope with the changes in the tastes of consumers.
Kafil said the demand to ride on high tech vehicles or air-conditioned buses is rising during the last couple of years due to a rise in people's purchasing capacity.

“We have got an excellent response. The average occupancy rate in our buses hovers between 75-80 percent,” he said.

The S Alam Group and Mostofa Group, parent organisations of S Alam and Saudia Coach Service signed the deal early last year with shareholding position of 50:50.

“We have a plan to invest about Tk 150 crore (Tk 1.50 billion) between January and December,” Kafil said.

“Some 10 more buses will come within this month, while the rest will come gradually,” Kafil of Mostofa Group said.

“We will start operating on the Dhaka-Sylhet route next. We will gradually expand our operation on the Dhaka-Benapole, Chittagong-Benapole and Dhaka-Khulna routes,” S Alam's Labu said.

SM Ziaul Huq, former chairman of Bangladesh Bus Truck Owners' Association, said entry of Saudia and S Alam with Mercedes Benz will increase competition.

“It will help make competition more even and encourage entry of more globally famous brands here,” he said.

Source:http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=23053

Just as important...they need to build roofs over these structures and create some surface water drainage system. No one seems to appreciate the need. These structures have been preserved by luck of particular soil environment in which they were buried. If left exposed in our climate and uncared for they will deteriorate rapidly. One has just to look at most the Mughal and Colonial period structures that have not been restored to see how rapid the pace can be.

Very important that the authorities take good care of all that we have been able to find.

Nice bus! Must consider it if I ever make another Dhaka-CTG trip...if I can afford it that is.

Nice bus! Must consider it if I ever make another Dhaka-CTG trip...if I can afford it that is.


Its pretty cheap actually..a one way ticket to coxsbazar would cost you about 800 taka.

^^ 800 takas from DAC to Cox's bazar thats extremely cheap ! Bangladesh is not even a huge oil producing country Im wondering how they maintain the low transportation cost.

I think the new S Alam's and Sandia's Mercedes are comparable to Green Line ?

^^ Is Saudia the same company as the airline, or a different one? Where do you get tickets from?

^^ 800 takas from DAC to Cox's bazar thats extremely cheap ! Bangladesh is not even a huge oil producing country Im wondering how they maintain the low transportation cost.

I think the new S Alam's and Sandia's Mercedes are comparable to Green Line ?

I think Saudia S Alam would be better than Green Line.Green Line's Volvos arent really that comfortable,although their Scania buses are pretty good.

^^ Is Saudia the same company as the airline, or a different one? Where do you get tickets from?

I dont know about tha airlines,but I heard they operate lots of low cost buses all over the country.As for the tickets,you can get them from their counter at Panthopath.

I think if Bangladesh launch domestic low-cost airline with avergae Dhaka-Chittagong fare of 1,200 takas one-way ( inclusive all ), BD will see a sudden rise in tourist number ?

I don't think that this Saudia is Saudia Airline. Even the color scheme is different.

I think if Bangladesh launch domestic low-cost airline with avergae Dhaka-Chittagong fare of 1,200 takas one-way ( inclusive all ), BD will see a sudden rise in tourist number ?

I don't think there will be any sudden jump in tourists in the immediate future. The number of people visiting the country will increase gradually as the country develops and the perceptions of people in other countries start to change. If you open an average reference book here in US, the one description you are certain to find is something very like "one of the world's poorest and most densely populated countries, prone to floods and cyclones." This gives people the idea that it is a terrible place with no good reason to visit. Until this basic description changes I don't think there will any quantum leaps in tourist inflow. Wealth plays a big part in molding these perceptions. Although I don't have any stats...I bet a lot more tourists come to Malaysia today, and arrive with different perceptions, than did a few decades ago. Although even back then you had rich culture and natural beauty. There is a certain respect that comes with wealth. If you are poor then the perception often is that you are not smart, or not cultured, etc. Although this is an ignorant approach...ignorance has had a big role in shaping history. These perceptions are something we will undoubtedly change, but it will take the majority of our lifetimes, through steady economic progress.

Coral fans discover Bangladesh's Saint Martin island

By Mohammad Nurul Islam

SAINT MARTIN, Bangladesh (Reuters Life!) - Corals and clear blue water have helped Bangladesh's only coral island become a major tourist attraction -- just don't expect a buzzing nightlife.


While mainly Muslim Bangladesh has tried to encourage tourism, it still bans discotheques, night clubs and bars that serve alcohol. Tour operators even lament the scarcity of golf clubs in the country of more than 140 million people.

Nevertheless, Saint Martin in the Bay of Bengal attracts thousands of local and foreign visitors every day thanks to its panoramic beauty and pristine marine life.

About 14 km off Bangladesh's southernmost town of Teknaf, the island's beaches are fringed with coconut palms.

"It's a paradise for us," said Nahreen Akhtar, a mother of two, who works for a private bank in Dhaka and was holidaying in the island.

Five or ten years ago, fewer than 200 people dared to cross the choppy sea every day to land on the island. They mostly returned before nightfall.

Now, more than 3,000 tourists, mostly Bangladeshis, arrive every day and tend to stay overnight.

"I enjoy bringing people here and they are pleasantly surprised when they see all the beauty. It's a shame this is not more known to the world yet," said Filip Engsig-Karup, a Danish tour operator.

"When I take people from Denmark to Bangladesh, everybody is amazed because the impression they have got about this country is quite different from the reality," he said.

The tiny island is locally known as Narikel Jinjira (Coconut Island). During high tide, tourist can walk around the whole island in a day. Local authorities recently introduced scuba diving and speedboat sailing in a bid to attract more tourists, and there are plans to bring water skiing and other sporting facilities to the island.

Chera Dwip, another coral paradise which forms part of Saint Martin when the tide is low, can be reached on foot, though the walk takes 2.5 hours and tourists usually prefer to go by boat.

"Bangladesh could earn millions of dollars every year if it promotes Saint Martin. People love coming here," said S. M. Kibria, a local tour operator.

Efforts are being made to preserve the endangered turtles that nest on the island, as well as the rare corals that are found only here, government officials said.

Local officials see a certain risk in Saint Martin's success with tourists, with some people hunting turtles and breaking off corals to sell to visitors.

Getting to Saint Martin involves flying or taking a bus to Cox's Bazar, about 400 km from the capital Dhaka, and then catching a bus to Teknaf, which is another 100 km away.

From Teknaf, ferries run daily to Saint Martin. It takes around 3 hours to reach the island, and most tourists visit the island from November to March.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080215/lf_nm_life/bangladesh_tourism_dc_1

^^ Count on me too !

Yes, St Martin Island and Cox's Bazaar, if promoted to their full potential, can reap billions of $$$ -- you already have the "software" -- nice and very friendly people, wonderful beach and nature-- so now it's time to strengthen the "hardwares" -- easy access from Dhaka, direct flights from Europe and Asia to Cox's bazaar ( so it needs expansion for sure ) , build hundreds of budget and splurge hotels at Cox's bazaar, teknaf and St Martin. No need for discos and nightlife.

I don't think there will be any sudden jump in tourists in the immediate future. The number of people visiting the country will increase gradually as the country develops and the perceptions of people in other countries start to change. If you open an average reference book here in US, the one description you are certain to find is something very like "one of the world's poorest and most densely populated countries, prone to floods and cyclones." This gives people the idea that it is a terrible place with no good reason to visit. Until this basic description changes I don't think there will any quantum leaps in tourist inflow. Wealth plays a big part in molding these perceptions. Although I don't have any stats...I bet a lot more tourists come to Malaysia today, and arrive with different perceptions, than did a few decades ago. Although even back then you had rich culture and natural beauty. There is a certain respect that comes with wealth. If you are poor then the perception often is that you are not smart, or not cultured, etc. Although this is an ignorant approach...ignorance has had a big role in shaping history. These perceptions are something we will undoubtedly change, but it will take the majority of our lifetimes, through steady economic progress.

It's not about general perception actually..Im sure that a strong Bangladeshi low-cost carrier is enough to strike a big difference in BD tourism sctor. Once low-cost lines are commenced between Dhaka and all major cities in South Asia, people will flock to BD in big number. Then can even think about connecting Dhaka with Hong Kong, East and Southeast Asian cities. Haa.. this will do a lot for the country !

Coral fans discover Bangladesh's Saint Martin island

nice article Banglabir.

Thanks Tmac

If you compare St. Martin to some remote Hawaiian islands (Lanai, Molokai or even Kauai) -- I don't see a big difference (snorkeling, scuba etc. in coral reefs are huge pulls for tourists).

So what makes Hawaii or Maldives so special?? Very little actual scenic difference -- the main distinction is in how these are promoted and how St. martin isn't. In fact St. martin is more unspoiled and hence should have a preference among tourists. I remember how the Hawaiian sea turtle was promoted in an ad-campaign in the US (they even gave the turtle a name -'Honu'). You couldn't pass a tourist-store without buying Honu tee-shirts, Honu key chains, Honu knick-knacks of some sort...

Then talking about Luaus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luau) -- get in for about $100 a person and see a nice Hawaiian dance presentation (hula), a nice buffet and some local flavor (how to break open a coconut, how to weave 'talpata' coconut leaves to make a basket). If you wanted to see how to make tourism out of almost nothing see this (http://www.polynesia.com/).

I'm sure St. martin could offer some token Bangla culture ('bhodro' halal dance presentation) and food for $15-$30 a head (if not the $100 Hawaiians charge).

This is exactly what average European/western tourists with families want for their money when they go on a vacation. Scuba/snorkel or take in some sights during the day, see a nice cultural family-show at night and repeat for three to five days. And they'll spend the reasonable amount of $50 or more per person per day easily.

Where are the brilliant ad-specialists in Dhaka ?? Why can't we name our mascots some local name and come up with a campaign to be promoted?

Safe accommodations and safe places to eat are all that is required. Given how much westerners are willing to pay -- this is handily doable in St. Martin.

If you compare St. Martin to some remote Hawaiian islands (Lanai, Molokai or even Kauai) -- I don't see a big difference (snorkeling, scuba etc. in coral reefs are huge pulls for tourists).

So what makes Hawaii or Maldives so special?? Very little actual scenic difference -- the main distinction is in how these are promoted and how St. martin isn't. In fact St. martin is more unspoiled and hence should have a preference among tourists. I remember how the Hawaiian sea turtle was promoted in an ad-campaign in the US (they even gave the turtle a name -'Honu'). You couldn't pass a tourist-store without buying Honu tee-shirts, Honu key chains, Honu knick-knacks of some sort...

Then talking about Luaus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luau) -- get in for about $100 a person and see a nice Hawaiian dance presentation (hula), a nice buffet and some local flavor (how to break open a coconut, how to weave 'talpata' coconut leaves to make a basket). If you wanted to see how to make tourism out of almost nothing see this (http://www.polynesia.com/).

I'm sure St. martin could offer some token Bangla culture ('bhodro' halal dance presentation) and food for $15-$30 a head (if not the $100 Hawaiians charge).

This is exactly what average European/western tourists with families want for their money when they go on a vacation. Scuba/snorkel or take in some sights during the day, see a nice cultural family-show at night and repeat for three to five days. And they'll spend the reasonable amount of $50 or more per person per day easily.

Where are the brilliant ad-specialists in Dhaka ?? Why can't we name our mascots some local name and come up with a campaign to be promoted?

Safe accommodations and safe places to eat are all that is required. Given how much westerners are willing to pay -- this is handily doable in St. Martin.

You hit the nail on the wall! Although I beg to differ that St. Martin's island is comparable to the Hawaiian islands, I shall not digress from the topic of the discussion. The key is adequate infrastructure development combined with an active ad campaign.

The pictures of the places in India or a caribbean island that you see in print or on television are far from the reality that hits you when you step off the plane (boat), isn't it? The tourist strip (trap) is actually surrounded by shacks and shanty towns! Whether it is Aruba, Bali, Jaipur, or Phuket ... at least by my observation.

If Cox's Bazar and the surrounding areas have adequate facilities and if they are actively promoted, I bet they'll draw more than enough crowd from around the world. When was the last time you saw an !credible !ndia ad and when did you see anything similar from (of) Bangladesh?

The sad fact is that those of who have the "ideas" and those who live and learn, don't have any say or funds for development projects in Bangladesh, and those who do, can only think about buying properties in foreign lands!

^^ Parjatan needs a shake up no doubt...someone to inject some passion and creativity. I think they have been using the same "Visit Bangladesh Before the Tourists Come" slogan for the last few decades...which becomes an embarassment if the "tourists" don't show up.

To continue from the discussion we were having in the "Airports and Aviation" thread, maybe Parjatan can take a pro-active approach and invite some of the people making series like "Globetrekker" to come to Bangladesh and create some shows. If we wait around for them to come on their own accord, it might take years. But an invitation with some small incentives might go a long way, and seriously increase the exposure our land has in many countries.

^^ Parjatan needs a shake up no doubt...someone to inject some passion and creativity. I think they have been using the same "Visit Bangladesh Before the Tourists Come" slogan for the last few decades...which becomes an embarassment if the "tourists" don't show up.

To continue from the discussion we were having in the "Airports and Aviation" thread, maybe Parjatan can take a pro-active approach and invite some of the people making series like "Globetrekker" to come to Bangladesh and create some shows. If we wait around for them to come on their own accord, it might take years. But an invitation with some small incentives might go a long way, and seriously increase the exposure our land has in many countries.

I agree with you, tan. This sector needs a jump start and the process has to be from inside out, not and expect the opposite. In Bangladesh's case, it'll be "if you build it they'll come" or whatever was the title of that baseball movie.

A bit off topic.... If anyone is in Dhaka and they are bored this site http://www.somewhereindhaka.net/
lists the current events happening in Dhaka.

A bit off topic.... If anyone is in Dhaka and they are bored this site http://www.somewhereindhaka.net/
lists the current events happening in Dhaka.

Many thanks, amar, I didnt know there is a site like this. Usually I come to know about these events through the reviews in newspapers when they are over...will check this site from now on.Thanks again.

^^ Your welcome tareq. I just happed to stumble upon this site just a few days ago.

:nuts: Bangladesh needs some good hospitality and tourism school. Majority of school in bd focuses on business and science.

A bit off topic.... If anyone is in Dhaka and they are bored this site http://www.somewhereindhaka.net/
lists the current events happening in Dhaka.

Great. It will make the life of young urbanites easy as they will get all the healthy timepass info. in one site. When I was a student of DU, we got info of such events only when we had seen the posters of them.

now we should try to promote this site among our friends both in BD and in abroad......

thanks for giving us the address of such a gold mine.

Great. It will make the life of young urbanites easy as they will get all the healthy timepass info. in one site. When I was a student of DU, we got info of such events only when we had seen the posters of them.

now we should try to promote this site among our friends both in BD and in abroad......

thanks for giving us the address of such a gold mine.

Your Welcome. I like that site too, it is updated very frequently.

Sights and sounds that charm tourists

Are you planning to be a proud tourist in Bangladesh? For travel in Bangladesh are you mentally geared up? It has more than a tourist can ask for which Bangladesh will surely surprise you with its incomparable resources. Bangladesh is a land of tourism escapade and an oldest & greatest civilization from where every tourist has the will of tour through. Every year a large folk of tourists come for Bangladesh travel tours. They come to travel in Bangladesh for its prosperity of sights, heritage monuments, cultural excitement and diversity of picturesque backdrops. They come to Bangladesh in the hunt for amazing something and an extra knock that only Bangladesh tour offers and guarantees.

These days Bangladesh tourism is in the stage of flourishing and its recourses are infinite. There is a wide variety of tourism taste in Bangladesh. It provides unique taste of history and culture. It is said that a country is best known by its culture and civilization and Bangladesh has unique culture and civilization dating back approximately 5000 years. Bangladesh is perhaps the world's oldest and greatest civilization. During Bangladesh tours one can observe Bangladesh's greatest civilization and culture. During your tours to Bangladesh you will observe that Bangladesh charms at every step with something new and something surplus.

There are several scenic places to visit in Bangladesh. During your tours in Bangladesh you can visit many heritage monuments and picturesque locations weather they are world heritage Paharpur, beautiful hill stations, magnificent forts & palaces, unbroken longest beach or perhaps one of the most alluring tourist trail - Sundarbans. These places to see in Bangladesh will surely mesmerize you.

When you are in Rangamati tour, your fascination with its magnificent hills & lakes, blazing greeneries, enthralling wildlife and peculiar indigenous livelihood will definitely increase and be perpetual. But your Rangamati tour will be incomplete without taking part in one of the most important tourist attractions - Subolang Water Fall tour through the Lake Cruise. This tour may take you from Dhaka to Chittagong.

These two important cities (Dhaka - the capital city of Bangladesh where Moghul wonder Lalbag Fort, Ahsan Monjil, Dhaka-shari Temple catch up tourist's eye; Chittagong - famous for commerce, sea port, Patenga beach and Foy's Lake) of centre and south Bangladesh have its own charms. Apart from this enthralling tourist course of center and south Bangladesh, there are also many fascinating places to visit in center and south Bangladesh.

Many travel agencies from both private and government organize few days' trips from Dhaka to Chittagong and Cox's Bazar.

Also there are domestic flights in Bangladesh to cover entire major picturesque locations. If you are in Bangladesh travel tours and wish to travel around more of it, internal flights in Bangladesh fulfill your dream. Flights within Bangladesh have a good network to make easy your tours of Bangladesh. Bangladesh domestic flights make you enable to explore entire Bangladesh.

Say; beyond Dhaka, Chittagong, Jessore, Isherdi, Barishal, Sylhet and Cox's Bazar can easily be gettable by internal flights or could be very ideal to network around the country. Moreover, luxury bus and coach services are very popular to discover this wonderful country of South Asia.

If you have beach-mania, Kuakata, Cox's Bazar, Patenga, Parki and Saint Martin tours of Bangladesh will be for sure much stunning. If you are interested in losing yourself in the tallest hill, Banderban tours will be too much fascinating. With the boom in Bangladesh tourism industry, many travel agencies have started offering attractive Bangladesh travel packages; go and catch your dream package. These tailor-made Bangladesh tour packages are also very inexpensive and beneficial for tourists.

Travel Bangladesh and discover its incomparable treasures. A huge charm of Bangladesh awaits you.

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/03/16/news0243.htm

Tourist arrival increased by 8 pc last year

Worldwide international tourist movement reached 898 million in 2007-a growth of over 6 per cent, while arrival in Bangladesh grew by 8 per cent. The speakers disclosed this at a seminar yesterday.

As part of Aktel-Dhaka Travel Mart 2008, a seminar titled "Eco and Newest Trend Geo Main Stay of Bangladesh Tourism" was held in cooperation with the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management of University of Dhaka at a city hotel.

Raquib Siddique, Chief Editor of Bangladesh Monitor, in his keynote paper said, the UNWTO forecast that by 2010, international tourist arrivals will reach 1 billion annually. It estimates that the international tourism was generating $2 billion a day in receipt.

Eco tourism is a pragmatic concept that mixes modern conservation theories with good old-fashioned money making. Yearning for authentic travel has now led to a new trend- the Geo tourism.

He said Bangladesh has wealth of Eco and Geo tourism attractions unknown to many; the country has mountains, large coastline, mangroves and rain forests, marshland, island and Sal forests. This diversity makes Bangladesh fairly rich in flora and fauna. These attractions are yet to be exploited. Thus the main opportunity for Bangladesh in international tourism lies in its natural and cultural heritages.

He said the goal of Eco and Geo tourism development in Bangladesh should be to capture a portion of the enormous global tourism market by attracting visitors to natural areas to fund local conservation and fuel economic development.

Kazi Wahidul Alam, Chairman of Aktel-Dhaka Travel Mart 2008; Dr Ashraf Ali, Chairman of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management of Dhaka University; AKM Bari, Secretary General of Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB); Syed Golam Kabir, representative of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), among others, were present in the seminar.

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/03/15/news0151.htm

Tourist arrival increased by 8 pc last year

it is very nice to hear this news. I don't know about you guys but I am pretty excited!

^^ I am exited about the increase too. But my expectations are a little high, so I would have been really happy if the figure was around 20%. :bash:

Pictures From Dhaka Travel Mart

Credits: Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/2333824081_1b23c96db7_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2412/2333827663_5c8437bbd6_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3127/2333832667_fbaf3bf55e_o.jpg

Thanks for the pics,really wanted to go there but couldn't find time.

I like the Sonargaon stall. Does anyone know if they are done refurbishing. I heard that their project was impacted by the Hatir Jhil project but not sure to what extent.

why do we need two different threads for the same topic? 1.Tourism Bangladesh News (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=475621) 2. Bangladesh - Tourism (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=313553) .... is there anyway you can merge them together mod?

why do we need two different threads for the same topic? 1.Tourism Bangladesh News (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=475621) 2. Bangladesh - Tourism (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=313553) .... is there anyway you can merge them together mod?

it was made clear that Tourism Bangladesh is for photo only and Tourism News for tourism related news. One is for photos and the other is for news.

it was made clear that Tourism Bangladesh is for photo only and Tourism News for tourism related news. One is for photos and the other is for news.


o really? sorry couldnt figure it out because i see pictures here too

o really? sorry couldnt figure it out because i see pictures here too

It was a mistake on my part but now I'm too lazy to repost on the tourism (picture) forum LOL

It was a mistake on my part but now I'm too lazy to repost on the tourism (picture) forum LOL


:) nice pics though..thanks

great article on tourism.........thanks Tmac

why do we need two different threads for the same topic? 1.Tourism Bangladesh News (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=475621) 2. Bangladesh - Tourism (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=313553) ....

The "Bangladesh Tourism" thread was the predecessor to the "Beautiful Bangladesh" thread and is kind of unofficially closed. At least that was my understanding. I think this is the more appropriate thread for Amar's pictures since they are about tourism development and not the touristy places themselves.

Parjatan Corporation to be National Tourism Authority

The government has decided to turn Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation into National Tourism Authority by December next for better exploitation of the potentials of the country's tourism sector.

The National Tourism Authority will be set up through the enactment of Tourism Act by the end of the year as the government now looks for complete privatisation of the prospective sector.

Newly appointed chairman of the corporation, Joint Secretary Shafiq Alam Mehedi, made the disclosure at an opinion-exchange meeting with journalists at his office in Dhaka yesterday.

“By December, the present Parjatan Corporation will be turned into National Tourism Authority. The present government wants to see the tourism sector grow as a real industry that helps earn robust revenues and create significant job opportunities,” Shafiq Alam said.

“The National Tourism Authority will play the role of the facilitator and supervisor of all the activities of various institutions in tourism sector.”

The new chairman said the tourism sector in Bangladesh is “limping” and it needs radical reformation.

Shafiq Alam said, “The government is working to attract investments from home and abroad to bring about a massive change in the tourism sector. The present infrastructures are no longer adequate to satisfy the needs of the tourists.”

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=29171

Parjatan Corportaion is pretty much a lame duck department. Whatever tourists we see today are mainly because of private entrepreneurships. Without much detail, I am not sure how much the name change will be beneficial.

^^ You are right about lame duck, but I think the name change is a good idea since foreigners won't know what "Parjatan" means...though I like the name.

Robust growth in tourism forecast on port entry visa

http://www.thedailystar.net/photos/2008-03-27__b3.jpg
A file photo shows a group New Zealanders treking through Jaamtola of Katka island in the Sundarbans on February 19, 2008. Tour operators see robus T growth in tourism if the government allows tourists visas on arrival.

Tour operators, travel agents and guesthouse owners see a tremendous growth in tourism sector if the government allows tourists visas on arrival at airports.

“If the government lifts visa restrictions for visitors from Europe, USA and other western countries, around 20 lakh foreign tourists will come to Bangladesh in a couple of years,” AKM Bari, managing director of MB Travels Ltd and general secretary of Association of Travel Agents Bangladesh (ATAB), said, pointing to the fact that

it requires 15 to 20 days now for a Bangladeshi visa even for an European citizen.

He wondered in such a situation how foreigners feel encouraged to tour of Bangladesh.

“But if the government allows them arrival visas many tourists who visit Tajmahal in India will come and stay in Bangladesh,” Bari said, adding that as it will reduce cost the foreigners will add a new country to their tourism diary.

Hafizul Islam, an international tour operator in Bangladesh, identified the present strict visa policy as one of the main reasons behind the foreign tourists' unwillingness to visit Bangladesh.

The government can introduce an online visa tracking system by bringing all the land ports and airports connecting through internal network and can monitor visitor's entry and exit date and time automatically, Islam suggested.

Sadique Ahsan, president of Bangladesh Hotel and Guest House Owners Association and owner of the Hotel de Crystal Garden, said if the government formulates a tourism-friendly policy, the private sector will go for infrastructural development. According to unofficial statistics, in 2007 arrivals of foreign tourists in Bangladesh grew by 35 percent over the corresponding year, but the actual growth in the last five years is almost nil.

In the year 2007, 2 lakh 70 thousand tourists visited Bangladesh, while the number was 2 lakh in 2006. However, the number of visitors was 2 lakh 80 thousand in 2003.

Tour operators and Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) officials said the visit by foreigners to the country increased last year as many donors' representative and climate change volunteers came here to see the destruction of cyclone Sidr.

They said a sudden surge in arrivals by garment buyers also helped increase the number of tourists in the year.

When asked, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation Chairman (BPC) Shafique Alam Mehedi said the BPC will submit a proposal with regard to arrival visa for tourists to the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.

The government recently decided to turn BPC into National Tourism Authority soon for better exploitation of the potentials of the country's tourism sector.

According to tour operators, Bangladesh has many attractions that still remain unknown to many tourists. It has mountains, large coastline, mangroves and rain forests, marshland and island. This diversity makes Bangladesh fairly rich in flora and fauna.

According to official sources, around Tk57crore, which is 2.1 percent of the total government expenditure, has been earmarked in the national budget of the current fiscal (2007-08) for the tourism sector.

The National Tourism Authority will be set up through the enactment of Tourism Act as the government now looks forward to complete privatisation of the prospective sector.

Two committees comprising representatives from the government and the BPC have already been formed in this regard.

The government is carrying out a survey to find out the country's unexplored tourist spots side by side modernising the existing natural areas, the BPC chairman said.

Meanwhile, worldwide tourists movement reached 898 million in 2007, according to the World Tourism Organisation.

This affiliated body of the United Nations forecast that by 2010, international tourist arrivals will reach 1 billion annually.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=29444

Dhaka to set up tourism authority

Dhaka, April 6 (IANS) Bangladesh is set to enact a law to establish a National Tourism Authority to monitor the industry and ensure the safety of domestic and foreign travellers. All tourist organisations will need to register with the body and take licences for tourism-related business, the New Age newspaper said Sunday.

Tour operators will be responsible for providing security to visitors.

Those who will have to register themselves and secure licenses will be tour operators, hotels, resorts, tourism training institutes, restaurants, amusement parks, health centres, spas, airport taxi services, cruise tourist vessels, guides and life guards.

Bangladesh attracted 200,000 foreign tourists in 2008, earning $89 million. But tourism is perceived as one of the neglected sectors in Bangladesh.

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/south-asia/dhaka-to-set-up-tourism-authority_10034971.html

Plans under way to give country's tourism a big boost

Bangladesh's tourism sector is waiting for a big push as the authorities concerned are moving with a plan to change the entire concept of tourism in the country.

"The main theme of the plan is private sector led growth," said an official of the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) adding "the government is serious now to make the tourism sector an important one among all businesses."

In addition to a law now being drafted to turn the BPC into the National Tourism Authority or the Bangladesh Tourism Board, there are many other plans to take the country's tourism sector at par with international standard, officials said. The draft is being prepared by a committee headed by the joint secretary (tourism) in the ministry of civil aviation and tourism.

The BPC after becoming a statutory body will become a facilitator in a clear deviation from its present status as the national tourism organisation, said the BPC official. The move is aimed at forging a greater cooperation between private and public sectors.

The BPC, since its inception, mainly concentrated on operating hotels, motels and rent-a car businesses. Now the move is on to bring it out from business operations and engage it largely in policy and planning for tourism development. The businesses will be gradually handed over to the private tour operators who will be enlisted with the proposed Authority or Board.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/search_index.php?page=detail_news&news_id=30517

Travel Channel here in US has been showing a series called "Ganges - River of Life." The last episode is primarily about BD / Sundarbans. Check it out if you get the chance.

^^ I think I have seen that one Tanzir..

What a big jump in tourist arrival for 2007. I accompanied my sister to a tour agent last week and guess what , every customers including us were given one huge Bangladesh 2008 calendar for free ! It contains one image of tourist site of BD for every month. It was sponsord by BD embassy. A great way to promote BD . I really hope the next step they will abolish all visa requirement for all nationalities.

BPC to attract more tourists to Cox’s Bazar, Sunderban

The Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation Sunday published a citizen charter with detail information about all its services for convenience of the local and foreign tourists especially to the beauty queen of the East, Cox’s Bazar sea-beach and mangrove forest Sunderbans.

The charter with the vision and mission of the BPC was printed in a good-looking paperback in which all detail information of tourism spots and services in the country, provided by the BPC are available in the charter.

BPC chairman Shafiq Alam Mehdi told BSS that the main objective of the state owned tourism body is to develop Bangladesh as an exotic tourist destination through creating and maintaining international standard tourism products and ancillary facilities.

‘We are really blessed with the longest sea-beach of the world, Cox’s Bazar and the largest mangrove forest and world heritage site, Sunderbans- to attract millions of tourists,’ he said, adding both the places are now voted as the top wonders of the world.

‘Through the charter, one could easily get all kinds of information about hotels and restaurants of BPC and its facilities which would surly help the tourist for enjoying secure and safe holidays,’ he said. A developed tourism industry could enhance balance of payment, create employment opportunities, alleviate poverty and create social harmony in the country, he observed.

‘Our one of the goal is to develop eco-tourism based on nature and ethnic culture as well as develop human resource in tourism sector,’ he told the news agency.

The BPC chairman said, BPC is working on building a strong public-private partnership in the tourism industry. ‘To encourage private sector for promoting tourism in the country we have handed over the commercial units to the private management operators.’

He said BPC also promote close cooperation with regional and international counterparts of the industry for attracting more foreign tourists in the country.

The BPC, established in November 1972 and commenced its function in 1973, is an autonomous organizations under the ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.

http://www.newagebd.com/busi.html

.... A great way to promote BD . I really hope the next step they will abolish all visa requirement for all nationalities.

Probably not a good idea from an economic standpoint. Instead, it should be an easy (liberal) visa policy, on arrival visa, for a fee. This is of course, if tourism takes off in a big way, for Bangladesh.

^^ That's also a good idea. But still I hope visa-on-arrival wuld be lower than $10 for all tourists.

Visa on arrival would be a great boost for the tourism industry, can't understand why the govt still hasn't implemented it!

5-star hotel in Sylhet opens Wednesday
Unb, Sylhet

Bangladeshi expatriates, aiming to attract foreign tourists, completed construction of the country's first five-star hotel outside the capital in Sylhet.

The hotel 'Rose View', located near by the New Shahjalal Bridge at Upashahar, was constructed at a cost of Tk 125 crore.

“The hotel will be formally inaugurated Wednesday,” said its managing director Moyeen Uddin, a Bangladeshi expatriate living in the UK, at a press conference here yesterday.

Moyeen said the hotel has 150 cozy deluxe suites, including one presidential suite, seven ambassador suites and 27 royal suites. The hotel also has an extensive array of restaurant outlets, a fully equipped fitness centre, swimming pool and other recreational facilities.

He said the hotel would offer full range of meeting facilities with LCD projectors, overhead projectors, audio-visual equipment, wireless microphones, white boards and flipcharts.

Moyeen said all furniture of the hotel have been imported from China, Thailand and Singapore.

He said the inspiration to construct the five-star hotel came from his father Ahad Uddin, the chairman of the Rose View Complex Private Limited.

http://thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=34276

This is great news!Thanks for sharing.

http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1211310400-clip-234kb.jpg
http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1211310514-clip-390kb.jpg
http://clip2net.com/clip/m7984/1211310558-clip-364kb.jpg

Great find Amar.Good to know about Chill and Grill...would love to see pics of the place

Coral fans discover Bangladesh's Saint Martin Island

Corals and clear blue water have helped Bangladesh's only coral island become a major tourist attraction -- just don't expect a buzzing nightlife.

While mainly Muslim Bangladesh has tried to encourage tourism, it still bans discotheques, night clubs and bars that serve alcohol. Tour operators even lament the scarcity of golf clubs in the country of more than 140 million people.

Nevertheless, Saint Martin in the Bay of Bengal attracts thousands of local and foreign visitors every day thanks to its panoramic beauty and pristine marine life.

About 14 km off Bangladesh's southernmost town of Teknaf, the island's beaches are fringed with coconut palms.

"It's a paradise for us," said Nahreen Akhtar, a mother of two, who works for a private bank in Dhaka and was holidaying in the island.

Five or ten years ago, fewer than 200 people dared to cross the choppy sea every day to land on the island. They mostly returned before nightfall.

Now, more than 3,000 tourists, mostly Bangladeshis, arrive every day and tend to stay overnight.

"I enjoy bringing people here and they are pleasantly surprised when they see all the beauty. It's a shame this is not more known to the world yet," said Filip Engsig-Karup, a Danish tour operator.

"When I take people from Denmark to Bangladesh, everybody is amazed because the impression they have got about this country is quite different from the reality," he said.

The tiny island is locally known as Narikel Jinjira (Coconut Island). During high tide, tourist can walk around the whole island in a day. Local authorities recently introduced scuba diving and speedboat sailing in a bid to attract more tourists, and there are plans to bring water skiing and other sporting facilities to the island.

Chera Dwip, another coral paradise which forms part of Saint Martin when the tide is low, can be reached on foot, though the walk takes 2.5 hours and tourists usually prefer to go by boat.

"Bangladesh could earn millions of dollars every year if it promotes Saint Martin. People love coming here," said S. M. Kibria, a local tour operator.

Efforts are being made to preserve the endangered turtles that nest on the island, as well as the rare corals that are found only here, government officials said.

Local officials see a certain risk in Saint Martin's success with tourists, with some people hunting turtles and breaking off corals to sell to visitors.

Getting to Saint Martin involves flying or taking a bus to Cox's Bazar, about 400 km from the capital Dhaka, and then catching a bus to Teknaf, which is another 100 km away.

From Teknaf, ferries run daily to Saint Martin. It takes around 3 hours to reach the island, and most tourists visit the island from November to March.

http://www.canada.com/topics/technology/science/story.html?id=c0f53534-48cc-42aa-8916-6b3ce1418ef0

"When I take people from Denmark to Bangladesh, everybody is amazed because the impression they have got about this country is quite different from the reality," he said.

I had the same feel too.

Bangladesh gets 'Beautiful' makeover
Sat, Dec 6th, 2008 11:02 pm BdST


Dhaka, Dec 4 (bdnews24.com) – Chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed stressed the tourism sector's role in development, as he launched the new Parjatan-designed country brand—'Beautiful Bangladesh'—in a vibrant ceremony Saturday at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel.

With the right branding, Bangladesh's thousand years old history, heritage, and culture can reach across the globe, he said, as the much-anticipated new country brand logo was revealed through a dazzling laser show on stage.

But, Fakhruddin also highlighted the need for an investment-friendly climate to achieve the country's 'branding' aims.

"Branding, now-a-days, is a key factor for broadening the image of the country," said Mahbub Jamil, special assistant to the chief adviser for civil avaiation and tourism.

He expressed optimism over the success of the branding process.

"Bangladesh will, one day, be chosen by the people across the world for tourism, sports and its products. 'In Bangladesh' and 'From Bangladesh' will be popular all around," said Jamil.

The Parjatan Corporation sees the tourism industry taking off through 'country branding', make Bangladesh and its attractions among the foremost destinations for holidaymakers to the subcontinent.

"All countries of the world present their national heritage through branding but we have been unable to do that over the last 37 years," says Parjatan chairman Shafiq Alam Mehedi.

"We are still a newcomer in this sector, but for us, tourism could be the main source of foreign currency," believes Shafiq.

The country branding initiative has been jointly organised by Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation and non-government mobile operator Banglalink.

Banglalink will carry on the local marketing. But Parjatan is looking for a suitable partner for overseas marketing.

A special team of Abdullah Abu Sayeed of Biswa Sahitya Kendra, artist Hashem Khan, Syed Manjurul Islam, and Dhaka University professor and Parjatan Corporation chairman Shafiq Alam Mehedi, designed the logo and 'theme' for the Bangladesh brand.

Parjatan says it will, however, take into account public reception and opinion of the branding to make any future changes.

The government also has plans to establish a Department of Tourism along with formulation of tourism laws.

Country brand Australia tops the global rating according to the most recenbt survey carried out by Future Brand, a branding advertising body.

bdnews24.com/rb/th/tf/rah/2240hours

http://www.thedailystar.net/photo/2008/12/07/2008-12-07__b03.jpg

CA brands Bangladesh
Star Business Report

Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday launched the first country branding for Bangladesh.

The logo of the branding includes a rising sun above waves of seawater with the slogan "Beautiful Bangladesh" beneath.

Fakhruddin told the function that the country branding would be able to attract more tourists and foreign investments to the county.

Emphasising the need for country branding, the chief adviser said the thousand-year heritage of the country, its people, quality of its goods and services could be taken under a single brand.

The country branding represents not one segment but all the sectors and the population as a whole, Fakhruddin told the function at Sonargaon Hotel.

He also thanked the committee who had prepared and developed the logo and the slogan.

The country branding was launched amid a cultural programme, including a laser show, music and dance.

The image of the country considerably lies on tourism branding, and tourism itself could be developed by branding and promotion, said Mahbub Jamil, the chief adviser's special assistant for civil aviation and tourism.

"A nation's brand is not static. It evolves with the country," he said.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=66444

<a href="http://www.SlikoMat.com/slika/3467013.htm" target="_blank"><img src="http://www4.slikomat.com/09/0102/au1-vlak_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="www.SlikoMat.com">

http://http://www4.slikomat.com/09/0102/au1-vlak.jpg

Sorry Capital, your pics aren't showing up for me.

At an airport bookshop earlier I was browsing an attractive new book called "Lonely Planet's Best of Travel 2009", and was pleasantly surprised to see Bangladesh listed as one of the "Top Ten" countries to visit.* This is very heartening...slowly but steadily the negative (and often misinformed) ideas of our country are beginning to change.* Check it out yourselves if you have a chance...I put the amazon link below:
http://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planets-Travel-General-Reference/dp/1741792436/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236657050&sr=1-1

Surf's Up Bangladesh!

COX'S BAZAR, September 16, 2008 - With his fluorescent board shorts and muscular body, Jafar Alam does not look like a typical Bangladeshi.

While most men his age in this conservative Muslim country are obsessed with cricket
, the 25-year-old is more likely to be found surfing the waves on one of the world's longest beaches.

Alam, who says he is Bangladesh's first surfer, is working to not only popularise the sport, but also to build international recognition for the largely untouched beach where he surfs.

This month he will hold his fourth annual surfing competition, when a group of 15 American surfers will descend on the beach to compete against locals.

Until Alam started the Cox's Bazar Surf Club in 2002 -- based out of the two-room house he shares with five family members -- he said the sport did not exist in his country. He now has 48 students, including 12 girls.

Although home to a 125-kilometre (78-mile) stretch of unbroken coast, it was only the occasional intrepid international tourist who would test the waves, he said.

A decade ago Alam bought a surfboard from a visiting Australian tourist for 20 US dollars, and for five years tried to teach himself.

He found it difficult to stand up and would often lose his board as he had no leash.

Finally he was spotted through a pair of binoculars by Tom Bauer, founder of the Honolulu-based non-profit organisation Surfing the Nations, which promotes surfing in impoverished countries.

"He gave me a proper leash and polished my board with wax. It was the first time I'd heard the words leash and wax," Alam says. "He asked me how many surfers were in my country. He'd found none except me."

Bauer, who will return to Cox's Bazar for this month's competition, likens the surfing conditions in southern Bangladesh to those at the famous Huntington Beach in California.

He says the sport has enormous potential to boost tourism in Bangladesh, where nearly 40 percent of the 144 million population survive on less than a dollar a day.

"It's one of the hottest things for tourism in the whole nation," Bauer says, adding that Alam has even used his surfboard to save people from drowning.

"Like all Islamic nations, people don't go into the ocean. They go fishing, but so many kids drown. They don't know about water safety."

Bauer says that while the world's surfers go out of their way to find waves off the beaten track, Bangladesh is still very much under the radar.

"When I first went there, people would say ‘Are you crazy?'. But I always knew there were waves. We are showing the world," he said.

International tourism is a tiny sector in Bangladesh. Just 0.1 percent of visitors to the Asia Pacific region will stop off in Bangladesh, according to the World Tourism Organisation.

Cox's Bazar local politician Mohammed Shahiduzzaman believes surfing could help bring foreign visitors to the region.

"It could create a lot of interest. The potential is endless," he said.

Both Alam and Bauer say that trying to make the sport mainstream in Bangladesh is not always easy.

"The girls wear a T-shirt and cotton trousers while they surf. They can't wear the saris that they normally wear out of the water because you can't surf in a sari," Alam says.

"Five of my female students have dropped out because some families say surfing attacks social and religious values. Some girls wear shorts and T-shirts."

Running the surf club is now Alam's full-time job and Surfing the Nations has sponsored him to visit Indonesia and Sri Lanka to take part in surfing contests.

Bauer says despite the challenges, he believes Alam's legacy as the country's first surfer will have a place in the history books.

"Surfing will revolutionise how people in Bangladesh think about the water in the same way surfing has revolutionised the beaches in Australia."

* * * * *

Published on 11/10/08

link (http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/33231/15441945/2/itm0_art)

Surf's Up Bangladesh Video from BBC

link (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7807471.stm)

Tourism highflying

Star Business ReportTourism industry is going to receive the highest-ever allocation in its history as the budget for the next fiscal year has proposed a total of Tk 234 crore for the sector, which got Tk 31 crore in the current fiscal year.

Of the Tk 234 crore amount, Tk 228 crore will be spent for infrastructure development and capacity building of the sector.

The proposed budget for fiscal year 2009-10 has also provisions for investing undisclosed money in the tourism industry and encouraging tour operators from home and abroad to invest in the sector.

Of the Tk 31 crore allocated for the outgoing fiscal year, Tk 25 crore was for infrastructure development and capacity building.

“We shall create an investment-friendly environment to attract increasing number of local and foreign investors and expatriate Bangladeshis to invest in the country. We shall ensure development of tourism sector, increased manpower export and productive investment of foreign remittance,” said Finance Minister AMA Muhith in his budget speech yesterday.

However the existing VAT (value added tax) exemption facility has been withdrawn from travel and manpower-export agencies in the proposed budget.

Hasan Mansur, a tourism expert and managing director of The Guide Tours Ltd, has appreciated the proposed budget, as for the first time the government has allocated such a big amount for developing infrastructure of the sector.

“The government has allocated this large chunk considering the importance of the sector. I think it's the beginning,” he said.

“We hope the allocation will increase significantly next year if we (industry people) can perform well,” Mansur added.

He also appreciated the provision for investing undisclosed money in the sector, saying, “It'll help attract new investments from locals and non-resident Bangladeshis.”

However Mansur said the travel agencies never enjoyed complete VAT exemption facility earlier, and so the withdrawal of VAT exemption would not affect the sector much.
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=92254

Bangladesh gets $12m to tap tourism potential

Manila, Nov 16 (bdnews24.com) – Bangladesh is set to receive $12 million from the Asian Development Fund to tap its tourism potential for inclusive and sustainable growth.

The loan, approved Monday, is part of the ADF's South Asia Tourism Infrastructure Development Project.

India will get $20 million, Nepal will get a grant of $12.75 million and a loan of $12.75 million, under the same project.

"Tourism plays an important role in the regional economy and this project will benefit around 2.4 million people through increased income and employment, health and environmental improvements, and reduced travel time," said Gülfer Cezayirli, principal urban development specialist in ADB's South Asia Department.

"The project features a subregional approach to tourism development that will bring wider benefits than a single country approach, and will help spread jobs and income to areas currently bypassed by existing tourism markets."

"It includes a program to ensure that poor and remote communities have the knowledge and skills to take advantage of new tourism opportunities."

The project will target transport and other infrastructure upgrades and will improve water supply, sanitation and solid waste management services to enhance the environment at key sites.

Support will be given to increase the capacity of sector agencies to sustainably manage and protect attractions, while steps will be taken to increase involvement by local communities in the tourism sector.

Countries in the sub-region, including India, Nepal and Bangladesh have formed a working group for collective action to tap the synergies of their complementary tourism sites in order to expand tourism.

Nepal's ministry of tourism and civil aviation, India's Sikkim state department of tourism, and Bangladesh's department of archaeology, ministry of cultural affairs will execute the project and that is due for completion by September 2014.

Along with ADB's loans and grants, the governments of the three countries, and the OPEC Fund for International Development, will provide the balance of the project cost of $89.5 million.

http://bdnews24.com/details.php?id=147137&cid=2

Last weekend I was browsing a bookstore in Santa Monica and found a new travel book on Bangladesh, from Bradt Travel Guide. This is significant because this is only the second travel guide dedicated to Bangladesh which is available in the US. I looked at it for only a minute or two, as my time was limited, but it seemed to be well written. Prior to this, the only guide was from the Lonely Planet series.

The book is authored by Belinda Meggitt and Mikey Leung. These two have posted some nice BD pics on flickr. Since they wrote "copyright" on their pics, I wrote to Ms Meggitt (last year) to ask permission to repost them here, but unfortunately she said no.

On another note, I have closed the "Bangladesh Tourism" thread. Having both this thread and that one was causing some confusion. Tmac intended the "Bangladesh Tourism" thread primarily for photos of places of tourist interest...the "Beautiful Bangladesh" thread was supposed to succeed and supercede that one. This thread was created for discussion and news on tourist topics, and I am modifying the title to reflect that better.

Last weekend I was browsing a bookstore in Santa Monica and found a new travel book on Bangladesh, from Bradt Travel Guide. This is significant because this is only the second travel guide dedicated to Bangladesh which is available in the US. I looked at it for only a minute or two, as my time was limited, but it seemed to be well written. Prior to this, the only guide was from the Lonely Planet series.

The book is authored by Belinda Meggitt and Mikey Leung. These two have posted some nice BD pics on flickr. Since they wrote "copyright" on their pics, I wrote to Ms Meggitt (last year) to ask permission to repost them here, but unfortunately she said no.

On another note, I have closed the "Bangladesh Tourism" thread. Having both this thread and that one was causing some confusion. Tmac intended the "Bangladesh Tourism" thread primarily for photos of places of tourist interest...the "Beautiful Bangladesh" thread was supposed to succeed and supercede that one. This thread was created for discussion and news on tourist topics, and I am modifying the title to reflect that better.

I met Mikey when he was in Dhaka. We used some of their drafts to plan some trips...gave the book a dry run. It is superb!

BusinessGlobal Motors ties up with Parjatan over tourist transport
Monday, June 7, 2010

Star Business Report: Global Motors Ltd has launched car rental services in association with Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation to provide transportation to inbound tourists.

Under the partnership, tourists can rent cars from Global Motors at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to their destinations inside Dhaka.

Tourists will be able to rent cars, including new Mitsubishi Lancer Ex 2010, Toyota HiAce, Noah, Mitsubishi L200 and Pajero Sports 2010 model.

Within Dhaka City Corporation, rents will range between Tk 1,000 and Tk 1,500 for a one-way trip, depending on destination.

Global Motors, a new concern of Rangs Group, will focus on car rental services, said Romo Rouf Chowdhury, managing director of Rangs Group.

"Our rental services will expand within a short time. It will include buses to facilitate transportation of tourists across Bangladesh," he said. He was speaking at the company's launching ceremony at Radisson Water Garden Hotel in Dhaka on Saturday.

"It is a milestone for Bangladesh's tourism sector," said Mosharraf Hossain, chairman of parliamentary standing committee on civil aviation and tourism.

Speaking as chief guest, he said rent-a-car services are completely absent in the tourism sector. Tourism in countries like Dubai and Maldives has developed because of the developing services.

"We have a chance to add at least 15 percent to national revenue from tourism if we just change our mindset to develop the sector," Hossain said.

He said the government decided to construct an international airport at Cox's Bazar at a cost of Tk 350 crore.

He asked stakeholders from the private sector to come forward and invest in the tourism sector.

A Rouf Chowdhury, chairman of Rangs Group, said this is a public private partnership between the government and Global Motors.

"Global Motors is committed to uplifting the rental car industry by providing world-class services," he said.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=141689

DailyStar news

The government will take every necessary step to turn the tourism industry into a huge income-earning sector, said the civil aviation and tourism minister yesterday.

"We plan to increase funds for infrastructure development. This year, the government increased the development budget for the sector too," said GM Quader.

"This allocation will be used to develop infrastructure of not only the destinations that are popular at present, but also the new and unconventional tourist spots."

He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a two-day photo exhibition organised by the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation at Hotel Abakash in Dhaka.

The government made a budgetary allocation of Tk 292 crore for development of the tourism sector, a sharp rise from Tk 234 crore in the budget for fiscal 2009-10.

“The majority of the allocation will be used to develop infrastructure, including construction of better roads and highways. Simultaneously, large investment is needed to ensure better security for the local and foreign tourists," the minister said.

Quader said his ministry plans to allocate funds for promotional activities across the world to help the sector grow faster.

Earlier, the ministry demanded an allocation of Tk 1,000 crore in the national budget for 2010-11, of which Tk 10 crore was to be earmarked for campaigning to showcase the potential tourist spots and boost the inflow of foreign tourists.

However, the allocations for the promotional activities are yet to be finalised, said the minister.

According to ministry statistics, 4.35 lakh foreign tourists visited Bangladesh in 2009, which was a sharp rise from 3.82 lakh in 2008, 2.65 lakh in 2007, 2 lakh in 2006 and 2.07 lakh in 2005. Most tourists came for business.

The industry insiders have been demanding more budgetary allocation for years for promotional activities in and around the world.

“The fund allocated every year to develop the sector is insignificant. Huge funds are required to make it a top revenue generating sector,” said Quader.

He also stressed combined initiatives by the public and private sector to attract investment from home and abroad to develop infrastructure.

A total of 149 photographs showing the scenic beauty and architectural heritage of Bangladesh were displayed at the exhibition.

Hemayet Uddin Talukder, chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, also spoke at the ceremony.

collected news
http://www.bdtravelandhealth.com/jsp/news/newsDetails.jsp?ID=242

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation runs short of funds in developing infrastructure, although the government sets aside big allocations for the tourism sector in the budget every year.

In fiscal 2009-10, Parjatan, the national tourism authority, received only Tk 9 crore to develop new infrastructure and renovate old structures.

At that time, the government had allocated Tk 234 crore in development budget for the tourism sector, which was slashed to Tk 17 crore in the revised budget, according to the tourism ministry.

For fiscal 2010-11, the government allocated Tk 292 crore in development budget for the tourism sector. But Parjatan is still in the dark about its own share.

Industry people said the government’s dithering over identifying tourism as a priority sector was the main reason behind this.

There are no fixed funds to develop infrastructure of the sector. Instead, it gets funds from different ministries, such as communication, local government and rural development and railways. However, they do not get this on a regular basis, said industry insiders.

Tourism investment is growing only at a 4-5 percent rate a year, they said.

Hasan Mansur, a tourism expert and managing director of The Guide Tours Ltd, said the sector had never received sufficient government funds.

“The funds allocated every year are insignificant. It requires huge funds to become a top revenue generating sector.”

"If the government allocates an adequate sum to develop the sector, it will help attract more local and foreign tourists and investment,” Mansur said.

He suggested the government allocate funds to increase spending on promotional campaigns across the world.

Meanwhile, the government approved 21 tourism projects worth an estimated Tk 400 crore under public private partnership (PPP).

Parjatan also took steps to develop a few new motels in Gopalganj, Kuakata, Rangamati, Teknaf and Cox’s Bazar, seeking investment from local and foreign entrepreneurs to develop the less-explored spots.

"We need a huge funds to develop tourism, along with ensuring better security for local and foreign tourists," said Hemayet Uddin Talukder, chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation.

According to ministry statistics, 4.35 lakh foreign tourists visited Bangladesh in 2009, which was a sharp rise from 3.82 lakh in 2008.

main Source-http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=144859


I get from-http://www.bdtravelandhealth.com/jsp/news/newsDetails.jsp?ID=247

Tourists in Bangladesh will now find an addition to their menu as the country's lone crocodile farm has taken the initiative to sell the croc eggs commercially.

"Against the backdrop of demand for crocodile eggs in some hotels in the country, we have taken initiative to sell the croc eggs commercially," Mustaq Ahmed, managing director of Reptile Farm Ltd (RFL), told the news agency yesterday.


"We have already sold about 150 eggs to some hotels and its main consumers are foreigners."

Apart from selling croc eggs, Mushtaq said his farm has also taken steps to sell baby crocodiles to amusement parks in the country.

"Baby crocs were sold to Saudia Park Ltd, an amusement park in Bogra."

Earlier, the RFL exported 67 frozen saltwater crocs to Germany's Heidelberg University for research purposes.

"The export of crocodiles from Bangladesh fetched 1 lakh euros, ushering in a hope of croc business in the country," he said.

Different countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain, have shown keen interest in importing croc skins from their farm, he said. He hoped the farm would be able to export 500 croc skins by next two or three years.


He along with Mesbahul Huq, a pharmacist, set up the croc farm on 15 acres in Hatiber village in Bhaluka upazila, Mymensingh.

After exporting crocodiles to Germany, there are now about 700 crocs in the farm, said Mushtaq.

The farm is now aiming to export over 5,000 pieces of crocodile skin annually and create a base for earning up to $5 million by 2015.

"There is a huge demand for croc skins, meat and bones in Europe, America and other developed countries, such as Australia, Japan, Singapore and China. The charcoal made from crocodile bones is indispensable to the global perfume industry."

Crocodiles are being commercially farmed in 40 countries including China, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

The croc eggs can be bought online at cellbazar.com


Source- http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=145250

'VISIT BANGLADESH 2011' PROGRAMME TARGETS ONE MILLION TOURISTS
DHAKA, July 23 (NNN-BSS) -- The government has targeted to attract one million tourists next year by implementing an aggressive tourism promotional campaign--'Visit Banglaesh-2011'.

"We are taking huge preparation for conducting promotional campaign at home and abroad next year targeting those foreign tourists, who are looking for new destinations of making holidays," Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister G M Quader told BSS Friday.

At present on an average four lakh (1 lakh=100,000) foreign travellers visit Bangladesh in a year.

The government has chosen the year 2011 to observe tourism year as one of the mega events of the earth - cricket world cup - will be hosted in the country this year, he said.

"Initially, we have set a target of receiving one million foreign tourists during the tourism year 2011 and expecting more than two million afterwards," he said.

The Minister said Parjatan Corporation, the national tourism facilitating body, has already chalked out lots of events for round the year blending with traditional, cultural, tribal and
religious festivals, he said.

The year-long programme which will initially cost Taka 150 crore (1 crore=10 million) also includes staging of road shows and Bangladesh week in different countries as well as inviting foreign renowned international travel writers and journalists to visit Bangladesh.

The promotional campaign for the tourist year would be conducted as public private partnership. "We are looking for private organizations for holding international standard events as well as conducting overseas promotional campaign," he added.

He said the tourism ministry has already selected more than 750 places as tourist spots and taken initiatives to develop infrastructure facilities there with the help of local government division.

The ministry is actively considering for building some special tourist zones only for the foreigners with foreign investment, the minister added.

The country has lots of tourist tempting treasures in terms of both natural beauty, culture, heritage and archeological aspects, he said, adding but "we have never conducted such huge international promotional campaign to attract travelers."

"We have to spread the message among the foreigners that Bangladesh is enriched with many resources attractive to travelers," Quader said.

Detailing the government's plan to boost up tourism sector, the Minister said the government has already formulated a national tourism policy and enacted two laws styled 'Bangladesh Reserved Areas for Tourism and Special Tourism Zones Act-2010' and 'Bangladesh Parjatan Board Act-2010'.

The policy and the two laws will help us to establish a world standard planned and eco-friendly tourism in the country which could be served as one of the major foreign exchange earning sources of the country, he said.

Sources with the ministry said revenue earning from the sector was Taka 449.38 crore in 2005, Taka 553.6 crore in 2006, Taka 526.51 crore in 2007, Taka 612.45 crore in 2008 and Taka 573.79 crore in 2009.http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=127885

We can post any tourism related news and articles here. Let's leave "Beautiful Bangladesh" for photos only.

I need advice through this FORUM, support, suggestions and REFERRALS to experts with a handle (successful experience) to the special challenges in South Asia.

The challenge: design and build a new, very large theme park in Bangladesh. Within a country where half the populace is living in poverty, our standards must service the social, welfare, transportation and security for each guest and the community. We must provide service, be profitable, and bring thrills and fun to the lives of the lowest of the citizens and families.

Currently there exists a Bangladesh park from which we can identify some actual statistics.
Fantasy Kingdom (2008)
table and figure shows that there is the age level of the tourists are in 31% (10-20 years) followed by 21% (1-10 years), 18% (20-30 years), 13% (30-40 years) and 7% (above 40 years)

Bangladesh Taka
Income Levels: a study shows that there is the maximum income earning visitors are in 54% (Taka 15000 to Taka 30000) followed by 13% (Taka 30000 to Taka 45000), 12% (Taka 45000 to Taka 60000), 11% (below Taka 20000) and 10% (above Taka 60000 to Taka).

US Dollars
Income Levels: a study shows that there is the maximum income earning visitors are in 54% ($215 to $430) followed by 13% ($430 to $645), 12% ($645 to $860), 11% (below $287) and 10% (above $860 to).

Lonely Planet Ranking
Bangladesh 'Best Value Destination'
Unb

Dhaka:Bangladesh has been ranked number one in Lonely Planet's list of the Best-Value Destinations for 2011.

The list is included the leading travel guidebook publisher's Best in Travel 2011 publication, coming out this week, and draws on the “knowledge, passion and miles travelled” by Lonely Planet staff, authors, and 600,000-strong online community to present the best places to go and things to do around the world to its readers.

More details behind the rationale for the ranking are expected to emerge in the coming days, with a briefing on the best-value list.

But judging from recent editions of the list, it should not be perceived as one containing only 'cheap' destinations. Rather, the list is based on travellers “getting their money's worth.”

Last year's list included destinations like Iceland, London, Malaysia and Las Vegas.

Previously, Bangladesh had been named as one of the 10 Interesting Destinations 2009, where it was described as “a revelation that actually leaves cousin India looking a bit worse for wear.”

Lonely Planet also brings out travel guidebooks on individual countries every few years. The last edition on Bangladesh came out in 2008 and the next one is due in November 2011. It describes Bangladesh as a “can-do country of open-hearted people, tigers, tea plantations and the world's longest beach.”

It also pays tribute to the country's resilience in the face of natural disasters, and the introduction to Bangladesh on the Lonely Planet website brands it as a “trend-setting, breathtaking and hardworking” country that others can learn from.

Best in Travel 2011 includes seventeen 'Top 10' lists, covering standard topics like the best cities, best experiences, as well as quirky ones like 'Top 10 Countries that didn't exist twenty years ago.'

Almost every country that receives a positive treatment across any of the Lonely Planet platforms experiences a subsequent boost in tourism, and “Best-Value Destinations” is one of the most popular lists in the travel annual, closely followed by backpackers, students and other budget-travellers.

Owned by BBC Worldwide, Lonely Planet is the largest travel guidebook and digital media publisher in the world.
Share on
Source:http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=161364

^^ Good stuff I am loving all the positive press we are getting recently. We need that to attract all the investments..

Lonely Planet Ranking
Bangladesh 'Best Value Destination'
Unb

Dhaka:Bangladesh has been ranked number one in Lonely Planet's list of the Best-Value Destinations for 2011.
................

Source:http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/newsdetails.php?nid=161364

We'll take all the positive press we can get, but isn't Lonely Planet for travel on the cheap? Don't we need to attract folks with deep pockets?

We'll take all the positive press we can get, but isn't Lonely Planet for travel on the cheap? Don't we need to attract folks with deep pockets?

From the article:
It should not be perceived as one containing only 'cheap' destinations. Rather, the list is based on travellers “getting their money's worth.Last year's list included destinations like Iceland, London, Malaysia and Las Vegas.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In this tough economic times, maybe it's not a bad thing? Bangladesh really needs to use the Worldcup next year to publicize tourism;other incentives like on arrival visa, information booth for tourists in the 2 main international gateways (Dhaka and Chittagong Airport) and partnership with nearby tourist destinations in Nepal, Srilanka and India are vital.

hi
i m from khulna university. i observe tht u have interest about our heritage sites. here i invite u to see a site about our ancient paharpur. it is a research base site which needs plenty of visitors, experts, bloggers and well-wishers. a fellow of our university try to enrich it time to time to make it a resource point. u r welcome here . Ar. Reza. link- http://bdheritage.info

International restaurant chain Pizza Hut has added a creative dish to its assembly -- the Cheesy Bite, a pizza with bite-sized cheesy pop ends that have to be twisted off to be eaten.

The new dish is part of its new menu that includes nine new pizzas and four new tantalizing appetizers, salad and pastas.


Akku Chowdhury, executive director of Transcom Foods, the franchisee of Pizza Hut, unveiled the new menu at the restaurant's Gulshan outlet yesterday.

The long-time pasta choice favorites, such as the Penne, Fusilli, Spaghetti and Macaroni, dressed in Arabiatta, Spicy Tomato, Mushroom Sauce and Bolognaise sauces, will remain on the menu.

"I think this is an item I only can say is unique and something to share with friends at addas. So, try it out and have fun while doing so," said Chowdhury.



“It's all part of the new menu to give our customers an enhanced dine-in experience and provide a wide range of delicious foods at affordable prices.”

Pizza Hut is the first ever-international restaurant chain that started business in Bang-ladesh by opening its flagship restaurant in December 2003 in Gulshan.

Transcom Foods, a subsidiary of business group Transcom, is also the franchisee of KFC.

http://www.bdtravelandhealth.com/jsp/news/newsDetails.jsp?ID=488

It's amazing here! This is a huge forum, and this forum have a section for "Bangladesh"! It's awesome.
I think I found the right forum for me!

It's amazing here! This is a huge forum, and this forum have a section for "Bangladesh"! It's awesome.
I think I found the right forum for me!

Welcome. Please take a moment and introduce yourself.

Tourism industry growth will rise to 6.4pc in 10 years


Dhaka : Tourism industry growth is expected to rise from 1.7 per cent this year to 6.4 per cent in the next 10 years. It will not only contribute to the economy but also create huge job opportunities which will help reduce poverty and contribute to reach the MDGs goals.

We have manpower as a resource to engage them in the sector. Just they need some employable skills training.

Shafique Alam Mehdi, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, was addressing the launching ceremony of tourism sector Industry Skills Council (ISC) and Industry Advisory Council (IAC) at The Westin Dhaka on November 10.

Abdul Mannan, former minister and Chairman, PATA Bangladesh Chapter, WA Sarath Kumara Weragoda, High Commissioner of Demo-cratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Shah Md Abu Zafar, Chairman, NCCWE, Gagan Rajbhandari, Deputy Director, ILO Office for Bangladesh, Arthur Shears, Chief Technical Adviser, TVET Reform Project, ILO Dhaka, Azeem Shah, Hotel Manager, Westin Dhaka, Sadique Ahsan, Adviser and Founder President, Bangladesh Hotel and Guest House Owners Association, and Taufiq Rahman, First Vice Presi-dent, Tour Operators Asso-ciation of Bangladesh (TOAB) also spoke on the occasion.

Prof. Nitai Chandra Sutrad-har, National Project Direc- tor and Director General, Direc-torate of Technical Education and Prof. Md. Abul Kashem, Chairman, Bangla-desh Tech-nical Education Board were the special guests.

Shafique Alam Mehdi said, according to World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimate, tourism industry in Bangladesh directly contributed around US$998.2 million or 1.5 per cent to the country's GDP in 2007 and it is expected to contribute US$3.8 billion or 3.9 per cent this year and US$8.7 billion or 4.1 per cent in 2020.
Speakers said travel and hospitality sectors were forging ahead, and referring to ICC next year, posed the question as to whether the country has enough rooms, tour guides or skilled people.

Many things are happening in pockets, they said and agreed these have to be brought together. Attention has to be given to food safety and hygiene.

Besides developing demand driven, job responsive curriculum and courses, training programmes as well as on-the-job training, environment has to be created to retain the trained youngsters.

Referring to NHTTI, they said one training institute was not enough and hoped to provide support and guidance to it and also to the private training institutes to develop capacity.

Relevant alliances have to be developed with institutes abroad so that certificates are recognised internationally, they felt.

Thirteen districts have been earmarked to support infrastructural development, they added.


Source:http://www.bangladeshmonitor.net/news_detail.php?nhid=2026&CID=2

@ Mirza

Please check your PM. Thanks.

The government has permitted Chevron Bangladesh, a US-based energy corporation, to drill three wells and extract gas in block-14 within the periphery of Lawachhara reserve forest. The environment and forest ministry approved the Chevron project in August.

Nearly 460 species of flora and fauna thrive in an area of merely 1,250 hectares in the Lawachhara reserve forest, one of the last patches of tropical forests in Bangladesh, say environmentalists and researchers.

One of the three wells falls within 500 metres of the periphery of the Lawachhara National Park where drilling or exploration of any kind is a violation of Wildlife (Preservation) Order 1973.

Article 23 (3) of the Bangladesh Wild Life (Preservation) Order 1973 says, "Firing any gun or doing any other act which may disturb any wild animal or doing any act which may interfere with the breeding places of any wild animal is prohibited."

The law specified that the government might relax the prohibition, "for scientific purposes or for betterment of the national park or for aesthetic enjoyment of scenery." Here "scientific purpose" refers to research on forest and wildlife or biodiversity.

Petrobangla formed an upazila-level committee to assess whether the drilling of wells would cause any harm to wildlife in the forest.

The committee observed a small hill between the Chevron well at the Gilachhara Tea Garden and the forest area will protect wildlife from harm. The well is only 500 metres from the forest.

"It will take 60 to 70 days to dig the well and the noise would not cause any disturbance to wildlife in the forest," said the report of the committee, led by Foyez Ahmed, upazila nirbahi officer in Srimangal.

The committee in its report said digging of the rig would not pose any threat to biodiversity and wildlife in the forest.

When the environment and forest ministry sought opinion on the digging of well and gas extraction, the Department of Forest raised objection to it saying such activities will harm the forest, which is small but extremely rich in wildlife.

It requested the ministry "to ask Chevron to find another place for the work."



In a letter to the environment and forest ministry, Md Abdul Motaleb, former chief conservator of forest, said the Lawachhara forest, home to many rare flora and fauna, is exposed to poaching and logging.

He also said the Chevron’s seismic survey in 2008 caused serious disturbance to wildlife in the forest.

"The locations of the wells are very close to the reserve forest. Constant noise and vibration from drilling will cause harm to the biodiversity of the forest," he said.

But the environment and forest ministry ignored the objections and recently okayed the project in Lawachhara National Park periphery, seven kilometres northeast of Srimangal in Moulvibazar.

Hasan Mahmud, state minister for environment and forest, said the ministry approved the project in the forest area for the sake of national interest.

"The government permitted them to explore gas in the protected area in the greater national interest. We need gas for development," said the minister.



The power, energy and mineral resources ministry recently asked the Moulvibazar deputy commissioner to allocate 15 acres of land to Petrobangla to allow Chevron use Gilachhara Tea Garden and Fulbari tea garden.

All these activities happen at a time when the government is working on a tougher wildlife preservation law to prohibit any activities within a radius of three kilometres outside the boundary of a forest.

Earlier, an explosion at a gas pad operated by another US oil company Occidental caused huge damage to the forest in 1997. The company later shut its operation in Bangladesh.

Newspapers reported another fire at Lawachhara during the Chevron’s seismic survey in 2008. A probe committee was formed to look into the incident. It submitted a report saying the fire was not caused by Chevron.

The United States Assistance for International Development (USAID) had implemented a project on forest management, Nishorgo, in the Lawachhara National Park over the last few years.

During the tenure of the last caretaker government in 2007, former CCF AKM Samsuddin in a letter to the secretary of the environment and forest ministry objected to giving Chevron the permission for gas exploration there.

He said Lawachhara is one of the country’s last tropical forests and home to seven of the ten species of primates available in Bangladesh. At least 49 Hoolock gibbons, a critically endangered species, were in the national park in 1997, according to a survey.

Chevron dug nearly 800 wells up to 21 metres deep in the Lawachhara forest during the seismic survey, the letter read.

"The Chevron’s seismic survey was harmful to wildlife of the forest. Many wild animals left the forest and entered adjacent villages," the letter of CCF mentioned.

Many of the wild animals were captured and killed by locals, reported newspapers.

Asked about the violation of law, Chevron in a reply by e-mail said, "Chevron Bangladesh values all laws of the country it operates in and shall not conduct any activity until and unless it has full authorization to do so by the Government of Bangladesh."

On the seismic survey, a Chevron official said they knew about the letter of the former CCF.

Explaining its position the company said it took special precautions such as alternating seismic data cable lines along existing trails to avoid felling of trees in the forest.

On violation of Wildlife (Preservation) order 1973, Chevron said it got approval from an expert committee to go ahead with the project.

The committee was comprised of upazila nirbahi officers of Srimangal and Kamalganj, assistant conservator of forest of Moulvibazar, a manager from Petrobangla and an inspector from the department of environment.

In a report, the committee said extraction of gas from the wells will not be harmful to wildlife in the forest.


More details-
http://www.bdtravelandhealth.com/jsp/news/newsDetails.jsp?ID=526

Any idea where can I find Bangladesh Parjatan's latest promo video shown in the opening ceremony of cricket world cup?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE-ByjnOyTU&feature=player_embedded

Thanks, but its a screen grab. The original is on 16:9 ratio, and the video they projected is clipped.
I was hoping parjatan's website would have the clip. But it's gallery (http://parjatan.gov.bd/vdo_gal.php) is in one word "pathetic"

Found it: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=198585566819745&oid=25105238405

Found it: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=198585566819745&oid=25105238405

One should not assume everybody has a facebook account. I for one, have never been in fb, nor do I plan to be. The link therefore, is meaningless to me.

I don't own this video. The video was produced by Red Dot Multimedia, and the link directs straight to their Facebook page where it's hosted. Maybe you should contact them and request them to post it somewhere where it will be meaningful to you.

I don't own this video. The video was produced by Red Dot Multimedia, and the link directs straight to their Facebook page where it's hosted. Maybe you should contact them and request them to post it somewhere where it will be meaningful to you.

Nah, not worth the bother, but thanks anyway.

jE-ByjnOyTU&feature

Just embedding the video for easier viewing..

Dhaka Travel Mart-2011 off to flying start

By Raquib Siddiqi

Dhaka : The three-days Dhaka Travel Mart-2011, got off to a flying start at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel on March 31. Thousands of people are expected to visit the premiere tourism fair of the country and as usual shop for discounted air tickets as well as travel packages.

The 8th version of the fair, titled as "Best Air-Monitor Dhaka Travel Mart-20011, will conclude on April 2. Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism GM Quader inaugurated the fair as chief guest and MA Karim, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister was present as special guest.

Private airline Best Air is the title sponsor of the fair while leading financial institution Eastern Bank Ltd is the banking partner.

The Fair is intended for tourist services users; tourist agencies and tour-operators; owners of hotels, restaurants and other catering projects; foreign and home general public; potential investors into the tourist industry; and state officials, professionals, journalists.

The objective of the Fair is to bring together at one place the most important stake holders of the tourism industry; to present the diversity of the local and foreign tourist supply; to promote tourist potentials of Bangladesh; to present the supply of hotel chains, and other accommodation capacities.

This effort to jump-start the engine of the neglected tourism industry of the country is being participated by a total of forty-six organisations from seven countries-- Malaysia, China, Bhutan, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Bahrain and host Bangladesh. The participants include National Tourism Organisations (NTOs), Airlines, Tour Operators, Hotels, Resorts, Travel Trade bodies, Financial and Educational institutions. Of the total 33 are local companies representing_ Airlines, Hotels, Resorts, Tour Operators, Trade bodies, Financial and educational institutions. There are 62 stalls.

Speaking as chief guest, GM Quader said despite huge potentials of tourism industry, its development in public sector is slow, because of other priorities.
He said people abroad are not aware of the various attractions of different nature that Bangladesh has. Government is emphasising importance of tourism and as such declared 2011 as tourism year.

The government has already taken pragmatic steps in the development of tourism in the form of formulating policy and legal frame work. The minister described it as social movement and challenging job.

Quader informed that big promotional campaign will start soon to project Bangladesh in different media. He said target is to achieve one million tourism this year and four million tourists in five years time.

The minister called upon the private sector to come a big way in the development of tourism and Admitted that public sector is slow in this regard. He also invited foreigh investors to invest in tourism sector.

Thanking organisers of the fair, special guest MA Karim said that event like this will play an important role in the development of tourism in the country.

Describing various tourism attractions of Bangladesh, Karim mentioned importance of private sector in building tourism infrastructure. He also underscored importance of regional cooperation in developing tourism in line with Europe and said joint efforts would benefit all the countries of the region.

Apart from tourism attractions of the country, Karim said that there are needs to project achievement of the country in various socio-economic areas.

Rafiqul Amin, Chairman of the Best Air in his brief speech said due to lack of proper effort by public sector, Bangladesh could not achieve expected progress in tourism.

He announced that his organisation will continue to support tourism sector of the country.

Earlier, in his welcome speech Kazi Wahidul Alam, Chairman of the Best Air-Monitor Travel Mart-2011 and Editor, The Bangladesh Monitor informed that over the years the number of local participation has gone up quite substantially. Local tour operators showed keen interest in participating in the Dhaka Travel Mart. But due to capacity constraints it was not possible to accommodate all of them.

To project the tourism potentials of Bangladesh and to establish linkages for the growth of inbound and outbound tourism, the Bangladesh Monitor took the lead in organising an International Tourism Fair, under the style of Dhaka Travel Mart in 2002 and since then we are continuing and made it a regular annual event.
He welcomed all participants, specially those, who have come all the way from abroad and wished them pleasant stay and hoped they would be able to build up mutually rewarding business relations through their interactions.

Kazi Wahidul Alam specially thanked title sponsor_ Best Air and Banking Partner Eastern Bank Ltd. for their help and expressed the hope that they will continue to do so in future.

He once again pledge commitment to work for the development of tourism in the country through - The Bangladesh Monitor.

He also welcomed Chief Guest GM Quader , the Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister and Special Guest Abdul Karim, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and expressed the hope they would take pragmatic steps to exploit country's huge tourism potentials.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge the role country's print and electronic media in exploring and highlighting the tourism potentials of our country and play an important role in developing tourism in the country. We hope, they will continue to do so in the coming days as well.

In his brief vote of thanks, Chief Editor of The Bangladesh Monitor thanked all who directly or indirectly supporting the endeavour and through it, the cause of tourism in Bangladesh.

The concept of tourism fair was unknown. There was nothing of this kind, when in 2002 The Bangladesh Monitor organised the first ever travel fair in the country and performed the role of pathfinder in this regard.

"Our pioneering effort has paid off in the form of, encouraging others to stage fairs on tourism. Now, we are not alone in the field. A number of others, including our National Tourism Organisa-tion, have followed us on the track that we laid. We feel good, because it is good for the tourism of the country", he said.

Besides, on the sidelines of the fair, a roundtable conference on "Private Airlines in Bangladesh will be held today (April 1) at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. Keynote paper will be presented by Raquib Siddiqi, Chief Editor of The Bangladesh Monitor and will be participated by government officials, tourism experts, journalists and private entrepreneurs. GM Quader, Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism will be present as the chief guest.

During the three-day exhibition, participating organisations are offering special discount on air fares, tour packages and a host of other offers to the visitors.

Visitors are able to go around the fair from 10 am to 8 pm on all the three days paying an entry fee of Tk 20. A Raffle draw on the entry coupons will be held on the concluding day on April 2, 2011 at 7.30 pm at Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. Prizes will include airline tickets to various domestic and international destinations and other exciting tour packages, hotel stays etc.

One Glass, Seven Layers of Tea

Bangladeshis will travel hours to the sleepy town of Srimongol, in Bangladesh’s northeast, just for a cup of Romesh Ram Gour’s famous tea. In a country of avid tea drinkers, Mr. Gour is the inventor behind a seven-layer tea which, he claims, no one else has been able to replicate. Copycats in the region have succeeded in creating five-layer teas, but none have been able to unlock the secret to Mr. Gour’s rainbow brew.

Mr. Gour invented his colorful layered teas 10 years ago, when he was selling tea from a bamboo shack. He says he realized that teas from different leaves have slightly different densities. It took a year of experimenting before he could sell teas with more than two layers. Over the years, he learned to expand to seven.

The kind of layer tea Mr. Gour makes is unique to the Srimongol area. An iced three-layer tea has become popular in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, but those drinks include one type of tea and are typically layered with palm sugar on the bottom, evaporated milk in the middle and tea on the top. What makes Srimongol’s special are the discrete layers of tea blends.

Mr. Gour mixes different types of locally grown tea—three black teas and one green tea— from four types of bushes, with milk and various spices. Each mixture has a distinct color and taste, and he pours one on top of another to create seven distinct bands. Customers sip each layer slowly: Trying to figure out what’s in each one is a fun act of gustatory detective work. The top layer of the seven-layer tea has hints of cinnamon; the layer below has a slight citrus flavor to it. Mr. Gour says the fourth layer from the top and bottom layer get the most reaction from his customers. The fourth layer is a black tea mixed with condensed milk, while the bottom layer is a sweet, syrupy green tea with cloves, cinnamon and “secret spices.” (Customers can choose to have one to seven layers of tea in their drink.)

In a country that consumes more than 55 million kilograms of tea leaves a year, Mr. Gour’s layered tea has turned him into something of a celebrity. He has shared a cup of his tea with many of Bangladesh’s top politicians, including members of Parliament and the governor of Bangladesh Bank. Bangladeshi newspaper clippings about his tea cover one wall of his open-air shop. In January, he opened a second tea cabin, just down the street from his first one.

A seven-layer drink costs 70 taka, or about one U.S. dollar. It may not sound like much, but most cups of tea in the area cost about seven U.S. cents.

Just how, exactly, Mr. Gour layers the tea is a closely guarded secret. Mr. Gour heads to a back room so he can make his concoction away from prying eyes. He has trusted the recipe to his three sons and brother who work at the shops—only the five them are allowed into the tea-preparation room.

Though imitators have popped up around town, offering their own layered teas, Mr. Gour is leading the competition with most layers. He says after years of practice, he will release a 10-layer tea later this year.

So, is the tea worth the trip?

With its varied flavors, tea connoisseurs are bound to find at least a layer or two they like. The fourth layer from the top stood out with its strong spices, likely some mixture of ginger and cinnamon in a black tea, while the popular bottom layer was a bit on the sweet side (though would have tasted great as a syrup on ice cream). Mr. Gour claims the flavors “will live with you a lifetime,” but there’s no one tea flavor that makes that memorable of a mark. It’s more about the experience – and drink — as a whole: the mystery of the ingredients, the rows of tea bushes just outside the shops and the chance to drink from the hands of a Bangladeshi tea master.

Nilkantha Tea Cabins are on Kalighat Road just a few kilometers outside of the town of Srimongol in Sylhet division, Bangladesh.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Nice video...interesting and informative....thanks.

http://www.edailystar.com/contents/2011/2011_12_04/content_zoom/2011_12_04_25_6_b.jpg

Mods please delete posts 129 and 130 ASAP as these are SPAM/PHISH links.

Mods please delete posts 129 and 130 ASAP as these are SPAM/PHISH links.

Thanks for bring it to my attention.

Bangladesh's tourism industry is starting to change...


Thai co to develop 5-star eco-resort in Moulvibazar


FE Report

Mai-BS (Thailand) Company Ltd has signed an agreement with DuSai Hotel and Resorts Ltd to develop a 5-star category 'eco-resort' in the north-eastern region of the country which is blessed with natural beauties.

It will be the first eco-boutique resort development in the country featuring 78 rooms and suites and a four-bedroom presidential villa with its own private lap pool, according to Newswire PR Today, a news distribution network.

Mai-BS is a Bangkok-based Hotel and Resort Consultant operating all over Thailand and South East Asia. Construction is on-going since March 2011 and soft-opening is planned for October 2012.
"We are extremely proud to be the preferred consultant for the owner-cum-developer of this first, deluxe and charming 'Eco-Resort' in one of the beautiful parts of Bangladesh" said Klaus R Rauter, Managing Director of Mai-BS (Thailand) Company Ltd.

The project site in over 14 acres of land is composed of several small hillocks of 30-40 feet high, several mini valleys between the hillocks, a nearly 1000 feet long serpentine mini-lake and two large fish ponds.

The land is heavily wooded with thousands of trees of various types like teak, mahogany, Belgian, agar, jackfruit, mango etc. In addition tea tree plantations will be made in the slopes of the hills beside the lake to give a Tea Garden effect. It will be a destination resort by itself.

The project will include the leisure and entertainment facilities including

*nine 2-storied thatched roof villas on the slopes of hills facing lake/tea garden
*a heated designer infinity pool featuring open-air Jacuzzi and sunken pool bar, *a purpose-built Spa run by Thai personnel
*a 60-person cineplex
*tennis court
*two indoor badminton courts
*two restaurants run by foreign chefs.


"We are happy to engage the services of Mai-BS (Thailand) Company Ltd to assist us in our deluxe resort development project because of their long experience in resort hotel project development and management," said Mr Nasser Rahman, Chairman and Managing Director of DuSai Hotel & Resorts Ltd.

"Our resort will be an eco resort not only just as a marketing slogan, but where eco and green will be a solid part of our vision and mission."

"Moulvibazar, home of our resort, is also the tea capital of the country featuring 139 large tea gardens and is one of the two government-declared tourist districts of Bangladesh. With its numerous tea gardens and the largest rain forest of the country, Moulvibazar has enormous tourism potential particularly in the four winter months and in the monsoon months," added Mr Rahman.


Source:http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=145303&date=2011-08-06