Report on "Tourism of Bangladesh (2014)"

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Tourism of Bangladesh

Introductioninternationally, the country of Bangladesh is mostly knownthrough newspaper headlines for its poor population,corruption and several natural disasters. These problems arereal and their side effects have a fundamental impact on thesociety. Reality however is not as devastating as indicated bythe image of the country since the national economy isimproving, population growth has slowed down, poverty seems tobe abating, and a nationwide nature warning system functionseffectively. Bangladesh is a country of natural beauty. Someof her parts are covered by Hills and some other parts by therivers. It has the longest beach of the world, the Sundarbanswith Bio diversity. There are many archaeological sites alsowhich can easily attract foreign tourists.

Bangladesh is a vacationland and it has many facets for localand foreign tourist. Her tourist attractions includearchaeological sites, historic mosques and monuments, resorts,beaches, picnic spots, forest and wildlife. Bangladesh is ariver base country having attractive panoramic beauty. Thereare hills, vales, deep and mangrove forests, rivers and thelongest beach in the world. In this country, the scope ofnature based tourism, research based tourism, culturebased tourism and eco-tourism is quite evident. In Bangladesh,prospective areas are present, minimum infra-structuralarrangement is developing, role of government is now positive,private and public organizations have come forward side byside to attract the local and foreign tourists, researchers,dignitaries and foreign delegates. Having all the minimumrequirements, the tourism industry could not developadequately. The cracks of problem could not identifyaccurately because of paucity of sufficient number of researchand investigations in our country. Out of different problems,the researchers have concentrated their focus to humanresource development aspect for tourism sector in Bangladesh.

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Tourism

Tourism is the travel for recreation, leisure, religious,family business purposes, usually of a limited duration.Tourism is commonly associated with trans-national travel, butmay also refer to travel to another location within the samecountry. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists aspeople “travelling to and staying in places outside theirusual environment for not more than one consecutive year forleisure, business and other purposes"

Tourism has considered as the world’s largest and rapidgrowing industry of modern business world. It has a vitalinfluence on economic development of a country. Bangladesh isa new tourist destination on the map of the world. Bangladesh  has  enormous  potential  to  develop  tourism  because  of its  attractive  natural  beauty  and  rich  culturalheritage. Tourism can add value in the Bangladeshi economy ifproper marketing plan and strategy can be built andimplemented for this purpose. However,  this  industry  fails  to  reach  its  destination  due  to  adequate  marketingpractices. This report aims to show the present scenario oftourism industry in Bangladesh, identifies the constraints,and suggests remedial measures accordingly.  The study alsosuggests that government should formulate a ‘tourism policy’immediately for the development of this industry. Both publicand private level investment is required in the tourism sectorand regional cooperation can bring benefits for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh at a Glance

The Republic of Bangladesh is geographically located in SouthAsia between 20°34' and 26°38' north latitude and between 88°01' and 92° 41' east longitude. The country is fenced by Indiaon the west, north and north-east, Myanmar on the south-eastand theBay of Bengal on the south. Bangladesh being only147,570sqkm / 56,977sq miles in size possesses hugely uniquediversity for natural beauty.

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Bangladesh is a low-lying, riverine country located in SouthAsia with a largely marshy jungle coastline of 710 km on thenorthern littoral of the Bay of Bengal. Formed by a deltaplain at the confluence of the Padma, Jamuna, and MeghnaRivers and their tributaries, Bangladesh’s alluvial soil ishighly fertile, but vulnerable to flood and drought. Hillsrise above the plain only in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in thefar southeast and the Sylhet division in the north-east.

There are many wonderful tourism spots to be visited. These can becategorized into 5 types:

1. Mesmerizing Natural Locations2. Historical Heritage3. Spiritual Destination4. Symbol of Nationalism & Solidarity5. Latent Treasures of Bangladesh

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Mesmerizing Natural Locations

1. Sundarbans

The Sundarbans is a natural region in Bengal. It is thelargest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest inthe world. The Sundarbans is approximately 10,000 km2 of which60% is located in Bangladesh with the remainder in India. TheSundarbans is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Sundarbansforest lies in the vast delta on the Bay of Bengal formed bythe super confluence of the Padma, Brahmaputra and Meghnarivers across southern Bangladesh. The seasonally floodedSundarbans freshwater swamp forests lie inland from themangrove forests on the coastal fringe. The forest covers10,000 km2 of which about 6,000 are in Bangladesh.

It became inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site in1997.The area is known for the eponymous Royal Bengal tiger(Panthera tigris), as well as numerous fauna including species ofbirds, spotted deer, crocodiles and snakes, Royal Bengaltiger, Fishing cats, macaques, wild boars, common greymongooses, foxes, jungle cats, flying foxes, pangolins,spotted deer, sawfish, butter Fish, electric ray, common carp,silver carp, barb, river eels, starfish, king crab, fiddlercrab, hermit crab, prawn, shrimps, Gigantic dolphins, skippingfrogs, common toads , tree frogs, sea snakes, dog faced watersnakes, green turtles, estuarine crocodiles, chameleons, kingcobras, Salvador lizards, hard shelled batgun terrapins,

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Russels vipers, mouse gekkos, monitor lizards, curviers, hawksbill turtles, pythons, common kraits, green vine snake,checkeredkeelbacks, rat snakes.

2. Cox’s Bazar

Cox's Bazar is a seaside town, a fishing port and districtheadquarters in Bangladesh. It is known for its wide and longsandy beach, which is considered by many as the world'slongest natural sandy sea beach. The beach in Cox's Bazar isan unbroken 120 kilometres (75 mi) sandy sea beach with agentle slope. It is located 152 kilometres (94 mi) south ofthe industrial port of Chittagong.

Today, Cox's Bazar is one of the most-visited touristdestinations in Bangladesh. It has yet to become a majorinternational tourist destination, and has no internationalhotel chains because of the lack of publicity andtransportation.

3. St. Martin's Island

St. Martin’s Islan is a small island in the northeast partof the Bay of Bengal, about 9 km south of the tip of the Cox'sBazar-Teknaf peninsula. It is the only coral island inBangladesh. It is about 8 km west of the northwest coast ofMyanmar at the mouth of the Naf River.

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The local name of the island is NarikelJinjira (also spelled"NaricalGingira", "NarikelJanjina", and "NarikelJinjera"),meaning "Coconut Island" in Bengali. St. Martin's Island hasbecome a popular tourist spot. Three shipping liners run dailytrips to the island. They are Kutubdia, Sea-Truck and Keari-Sindbad. Tourists can book their trip either from Chittagongor from Cox's Bazar. The surrounding coral reef of the islandhas an extension named CheraDip. The island is home to severalendangered species of turtles, as well as the corals, some ofwhich are found only on this island.

4. Jaflang:

Jaflang is a hill station and popular tourist destination inthe Division of Sylhet, Bangladesh. It is located inGowainghat Upazila of Sylhet District and situated at theborder between Bangladesh and the Indian state of Meghalaya,overshadowed by subtropical mountains and rainforests. Jaflangis famous for its stone collections and is home of the Khasitribe. Jaflang is one of the most attractive tourist spots inSylhet division. It is about 60 km from Sylhet town and takestwo hours drive to reach there. Jaflang is also a scenic spotnearby amidst tea gardens and rare beauty of rolling stonesfrom hills. It is situated besides the river Mari in the lapof Hill Khashia. The Mari river is coming from the greatHimalayas of India, which bringing million tons of stoneboulders with its tide. You can watch the stone collectionfrom the river in Jaflang as well as you can enjoy the boatingin the river Mari. Jaflang is totally a hilly area of realnatural beauty where hills are greenish with the forests. Lotsof wild animal live in this forest, so you need to be carefulto enter in the forest alone. You can see the lifestyle ofTribe Khashia in Jaflang. If you intend to visit Jaflang it isadvisable to start from Sylhet in the early morning so thatyou can comeback by evening covering the other tourist spotsof nearby areas of Jaflang. The other tourist areas nearbyJaflang are Tamabil, Sripur and Jaintapur.

5.Srimangal – Tea Garden

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Easily referred to as Bangladesh’s ‘little Darjeeling’,Srimongol is home to some low-rising hills and dozens of teaplantations scattered across the landscape. These are bestexplored by bicycle and allow one to reconnect with thepeaceful and quiet landscape of Bangladesh, one that is trulysecluded from the rest of the country. Srimongol is also hometo two precious nature reserves: the Lawacharra Reserve Forestand the Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary. Lawacharra has a tinybut significant population of Hoolock Gibbons which withoutthe efforts of conservation and eco-tourism would probably beextinct by now. 

Srimongol town is the main transport hub for Sylhet and Dhakabut the best places to stay are a few kilometres outside towntowards Kamalganj. In terms of activities, exploring theLawacharra Reserve Forest by foot or bicycle is the best wayto enjoy the natural beauty of this region, although thoseequipped with a motorcycle will surely enjoy exploring theback roads and dirt tracks that snake around the area. TheNilkantha Tea Cabin (Ramnagar (Munipuripara) is another must-see in Srimongol. When owner Ramosh Ram Gour invented 5-layertea, he probably didn't know that it would eventually becomefamous around the world. Nowadays, he guards the secret withhis life – only he & his son possess the knowledge to makethis now famous brew.

With an increasing amount of visitors wandering around the teaestates, they aren’t as easy to tour as they used to be.Again, it is best to hire a Nishorgo guide to facilitate anintroduction through a connection they may have, as opposed towalking up to gates unannounced. The real tea tasters willprobably want to start by contacting the Bangladesh TeaResearch Institute.

Historical Heritage

1.Lalbagh Fort

Lalbagh Fort (also called the Fort of Aurangabad) is anincomplete 17th century Mughal fort complex that stands

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proudly before the Buriganga River in the south-western partof Dhaka, Bangladesh. The construction was started in 1678 ADby Mughal Subahdar Muhammad Azam Shah who was son of EmperorAurangzeb and later emperor himself. His successor, ShaistaKhan, did not continue the work, though he stayed in Dhaka upto 1688.

Mughal prince Muhammad Azam, third son of Aurangzeb startedthe work of the fort in 1678 during his vice-royalty inBengal. He stayed in Bengal for 15 months. The fort remainedincomplete when he was called away by his father Aurangzeb.

Shaista Khan was the new subahdar of Dhaka in that time and hedid not complete the fort. In 1684, the daughter of ShaistaKhan named Iran Dukht Pari Bibi died there. After her death,he started to think the fort as unlucky, and left thestructure incomplete. Among the three major parts of LalbaghFort, one is the tomb of Pari Bibi.

After Shaista Khan left Dhaka, it lost its popularity. Themain cause was that the capital was moved from Dhaka toMurshidabad. After the end of the royal Mughal period, thefort became abandoned. In 1844, the area acquired its name as“Lalbagh” replacing Aurangabad, and the fort became “LalbaghFort”.

For long the fort was considered to be a combination of threebuildings (the mosque, the tomb of Bibi Pari and the Diwan-i-Aam) with two gateways and a portion of the partly damagedfortification wall. Recent excavations carried out by theDepartment of Archaeology of Bangladesh have revealed theexistence of other structures.

2.Ahsan Manzil

Ahsan Manzil was the official residential palace and seat ofthe Dhaka Nawab Family. It was erected by Nawab Abdul Ghani.He named the palace "Ahsan Manzil" after his son KhwajaAhsanullah. This magnificent building is situated at Kumartolialong the banks of the Buriganga River in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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The construction of this palace was started in 1859 and wascompleted in 1869. It is constructed in the Indo-SaracenicRevival architecture. The palace became the BangladeshNational Museum in 20th September 1992.Ahsan Manzil is one of the most significant architecturalmonuments of Bangladesh. The building structure wasestablished on a raised platform of 1 meter, the two-storiedpalace measures 125.4m by 28.75m. The height of the groundfloor is 5 meters and the height of the first floor is 5.8meters. The thickness of the walls of the palace is about 0.78meters. There are porticos of 5 meters height on the northernand southern sides of the palace. The building has a broadfront-facing the Buriganga River.

The construction of the famous dome of the Ahsan Manzil, whichis at the centre of the palace, took a lot tedious planning.The square room on the ground floor was built with a roundshape and brickworks were done around the corners. To give theroom an octagonal shape, squelches were given around the roofcorners. The eight corners of the octagon were slantedgradually to make the dome look like the bud of a lotus (kumudkali). The peak of this dome is 27.13 m above the ground.Ahsan Manzil was severely damaged during the tornado thatoccurred on 7 April 1888.the western block of Andermahal wascompletely demolished and later it was entirely rebuilt. Thepresent day dome, which is situated on the top, was builtduring the time of reconstruction. This place was also damagedduring the earthquake of 1897 but Nawab Kawaka Ahsanullahrepaired the whole place again.

3.Sonargaon

Sonargaon was a historic administrative, commercial andmaritime centre in Bengal. Situated at the centre of theGanges delta, near the old course of the Brahmaputra River, itwas the seat of the medieval Muslim rulers and governors ofeastern Bengal. Sonargaon was described by numerous historictravellers, including Ibn Battuta, Ma Huan, Niccolò de' Contiand Ralph Fitch, as a thriving centre of trade and commerce on

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the silk route. It served as the capital of Sultan FakhruddinMubarak Shah, Isa Khan and the Baro-Bhuyan Confederacy.

The area is located near the modern industrial river port ofNarayanganj in Bangladesh. Today, the name Sonargaon survivesas the Sonargaon Upazila (Sonargaon Subregion) in the region.

4.Mahasthangarh

Mahasthangarh is one of the earliest urban archaeologicalsites so far discovered in Bangladesh. The village Mahasthanin Shibganj thana of Bogra District contains the remains of anancient city which was called Pundranagara orPaundravardhanapura in the territory of Pundravardhana. Alimestone slab bearing six lines in Prakrit in Brahmi script,discovered in 1931, dates Mahasthangarh to at least the 3rdcentury BC. The fortified area was in use till the 18thcentury AD.

Together with the ancient and medieval ruins, the mazhar (holytomb) of Shah Sultan Balkhi Mahisawar built at the site of aHindu temple is located at Mahasthangarh. He was a dervish(holy person devoted to Islam) of royal lineage who came tothe Mahasthangarh area, with the objective of spreading Islamamong non-Muslims. He converted the people of the area toIslam and settled there.

Spiritual Destination

1.Shat Gombuj Mosque

The Sixty Dome Mosque (more commonly known as Shait Gambuj Mosqueor Saith Gunbad Mashhad),a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is amosque in Bangladesh, the largest in that country from theSultanate period. It has been described as "the mostimpressive Muslim monuments in the whole of the Indiansubcontinent."

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In mid-15th century, a Muslim colony was founded in theunfriendly mangrove forest of the Sundarbans near thecoastline in the Bagerhat district by an obscure saint-General, named Khan Jahan Ali. He preached in an affluent cityduring the reign of Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah, then knownas 'Khalifalabad'. Khan Jahan adorned this city with more thana dozen mosques, the spectacular ruins of which are focusedaround the most imposing and largest multidomed mosques inBangladesh, known as the Shait-Gumbad Masjid (160'×108'). Theconstruction of the mosque was started in 1442 and it wascompleted in 1459.The mosque was used for prayer purposes. Itwas also used as a madrasha and assembly hall.

2.Shiva Temple in Puthia

Puthia Temple Complex consists of a cluster of notable oldHindu temples in Puthia Upazila, Rajshahi Division, andBangladesh. Located 23 km to the east of Rajshahi city, it hasthe largest number of historic temples in Bangladesh.[ Thetemples were built by Hindu Zamindars Rajas of the Puthia Rajfamily who were noted philanthropists of Rajshahi. The templeshave been built in terracotta in a variety of styles combiningthe typical Jor-bangla architecture with other influences. TheRajbari or Palace of the Raja of Puthia and the Dol Mancha arepart of the complex. The temples are laid out around a lakewith a sprawling lawn.

3.Golden Temple – Bandarban

The Buddha Dhatu Jadi; (also known as the Bandarban GoldenTemple) is located close to Balaghata town, in Bandarban City,in Bangladesh. Dhatu means material remains of a holy personand in this temple the relics belong to Buddha. It is thelargest Theravada Buddhist Temple with the second largestBuddha statue in Bangladesh.

The Bandarban Golden Temple belongs to the Theravada Buddhismorder, which is practiced by the Marma Indigenous people, adominant ethnic group of Bandarban. It was built in 2000 inArakanese architecture, an adoption of South East Asia style.

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Approached by an elegant stairway, the impressive temple builton the hill top is decorated with exquisite sculptural images.Apart from the second biggest Lord Buddha statue enshrined inthe sanctum, there are smaller statues and a golden bell seton a dragon within the temple precincts. Construction of thetemple was started in 1995 and completed in 2000. The dhatu,the corporeal relics of Buddha, has been enshrined here belowfour statues of Buddha. The dhatu is enshrined here, with thebasic belief among Buddhists that it provides for peace ofmind and happiness. The temple now forms a part of the TourismDevelopment Project of the 'Buddhist Circuit Tour' that issponsored by the South Asia Sub regional Economic Cooperation.

A strict dress code of 'no shorts and no shoes' in templeprecincts is followed here.

4.Lalon Akhra

"Lalon Akhra" where the tomb of the great "Baul", Fakir Lalanis located. The place is called "Cheuria" around 2-3kilometers from the tagore lodge. Inside the premise of LalonAkhra, there is a white tomb where the great baul sleeping.The tomb looks like it is made from wax. Also near the tombarea, you'll find several graves which are the contemporarybaul of Lalon Shah, and some of them are the student or thefollowers of the Lalon Shah. There is an academic building atthe Akhra premise. This one is using to research about theLalon Shah. Also there is a museum which comprises of severalmaterials like "Ek tara" and other musical instrument whichare used by the famous baul.

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Visitor comes here from all over the country and also India.They try to feel and enjoy in-depth every single segment ofmysterious baul ritual. These three days are most influentialin Bangladeshi culture. Lalon's philosophical expression wasbased in oral and textual traditions, and expressed in songsand musical compositions. The lyrics of his songs wereexplicitly meant to engage in the philosophical discourses ofBengal. He critically re-appropriated the variousphilosophical positions emanating from the legacies of Hindu,Jain, Buddhist and Islamic traditions, developing them into acoherent school of thought. 

It is going against all forms of socio-economic hierarchy,caste, class, and gender and any forms of politics of identitybased on race, nationality and religion. It makes a commonspace for all kinds of people.

Symbol of Nationalism & Solidarity

1.National Memorial

Jatiyo Sriti Shoudho or National Martyrs' Memorial is thenational monument of Bangladesh is the symbol in the memory ofthe valour and the sacrifice of all those who gave their lives

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in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, which broughtindependence and separated Bangladesh from Pakistan. Themonument is located in Savar, about 35 km north-west of thecapital, Dhaka. It was designed by Syed Mainul Hossain.

The monument is composed of 7 isosceles triangular pyramidshaped structures, with the middle one being the tallest. Thehighest point of the monument is 150 feet. There is anartificial lake, and several mass graves in front of the mainmonument. There is a Green house, PWD site office, VVIP andVIP waiting room inside the area. Some other structures likeToilets, Visitors Shed, Electrical Sub Station, Flower andSouvenir Shop, Police Barrack, Museum and Laser show is underconstruction.

2.Shohid Minar

The Shohid Minar (Shohid Minar lit. "Martyr Monument") is anational monument in Dhaka, Bangladesh, established tocommemorate those killed during the Bengali Language Movementdemonstrations of 1952.

On February 21, 1952, dozens of students and politicalactivists were killed when the Pakistani police force openedfire on Bengali protesters who were demanding equal status fortheir native tongue, Bengali. The massacre occurred near DhakaMedical College and Ramna Park in Dhaka. A makeshift monumentwas erected on February 23 by students of University of Dhakaand other educational institutions, but soon demolished onFebruary 26 by the Pakistani police force.

The Language Movement gained momentum, and after a longstruggle, Bengali was given equal status with Urdu. Tocommemorate the dead, the Shohid Minar was designed and builtby Hamidur Rahman, a Bangladeshi sculptor. The monument stooduntil the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, when it wasdemolished completely during Operation Searchlight. AfterBangladesh gained independence, it was rebuilt.

At present, all national, mourning, cultural and otheractivities held each year, regarding 21 February, have beencentred on the Shohid Minar.

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3.Rayer Bazar Bodhdhobhumi

Martyred Intellectuals Memorial is a memorial built in memoryof the martyred intellectuals of Bangladesh Liberation War.The memorial, located at Rayerbazar, Mohammadpur Thana inDhaka, was designed by architect Farid U Ahmed and Jami AlShafi. the initial proposal for a memorial at Rayer Bazar wasbrought forward by Projonmo 71 (organisation of the childrenof the martyrs of liberation war), who also laid a temporaryfoundation stone in 1991.

During the entire duration of Bangladesh Liberation War of1971, a large number of teachers, doctors, engineers, poetsand writers were systematically massacred by Pakistan Army andtheir local collaborators, most notably the alleged Islamistmilitia groups Al-Badr and Al-Shams. The largest number ofassassinations took place on December 14, 1971, only two daysbefore the surrender of Pakistan army to the joint force ofIndian army and Mukti bahini.

Latent Treasures of Bangladesh

1.Jadipai Waterfall

Jadipai Waterfall or Jadipai Jhorna is one of the widest waterfalls in Bangladesh. Jadipai Waterfall is really wonderfulplace to travel. During the rainy season the flow of Jadipaifall becomes robust. The water of this fall is so cool andtransparent. Though the path of this area is not smooth butwhen a traveller reaches there he will feel the fulltranquillity. It is the most charming waterfall of Bangladesh.If you want to see the natural beauty of Bangladesh then mustvisit Jadipai. This waterfall is the Goddess of all waterfallsin Bangladesh.

Jadipai Waterfall located at Ruma Upazila of BandarbanDistrict, deep inside the hilly area of Bandarban. It is one

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of the most attractive tourist spots of Bangladesh. The flowof Jadipai fall becomes robust during the rainy season.

2.Rema Kalinga Forest

Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected forest andwildlife sanctuary in Bangladesh. This is a dry and evergreenforest and the second largest natural forest in Bangladeshafter the Sundarbans. It is also the country's second largestwildlife sanctuary and the richest in terms of biodiversity.It is located in the Chunarughat of Habiganj district. Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1982 and laterexpanded in 1996. Currently the wildlife sanctuary expands onan area of 1795.54 hectares as of 2009. This is one of thenatural forests in Bangladesh that are still in goodcondition. However, indiscriminate theft of trees &deforestation pose threat on the sanctuary.

Rema-Kalenga wildlife sanctuary is rich in rare species plants& animals. The forest currently has 37 species of mammals, 167species of birds, seven species of amphibian, 18 species ofreptiles and 638 species of plants. Specially, the forest iswell known for a variety of rare bird species, like - rackettailed drongo, parrots, Hill mortem, red head kucakuci, sipahiBulbul, Basantabauri, Voulchars, Mathura, banamoraga, owl,kingfisher, eagle, etc.

The three species of monkeys live in are: Kullu, lajjabatiResas monkey and night monkeys. Moreover, there are fivespecies kathabirali. Of rare species in the Malay banei foundat the kathabirali only. Among the more significant wildlifemukhapora Hanuman, Hanuman glasses, ulluka, Maya deer,mechobagha, banyasukara, fitch, weasel, hedgehog, etc.. Cobra,paradise flycatcher, damrasa, etc. laudaga with eighteenspecies of snake in the forest can be found.

3. Birisiri

Birisiri is a rural locality lying at the foot of Garo Hillsand ran through by a beautiful river named Someshwari. It's inNetrokona, a district to the north of Dhaka and bordering with

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India. The full length (mailing) address would be Birisiri,Durgapur, Netrokona, Bangladesh.

4. Ratargul

Ratargul Swamp Forest is an evergreen forest. It is one of thebest freshwater swamp forests in this world. The beauty ofthis forest is bloomed mainly in the rainy season. Ratargul isthe only swamp forest in Bangladesh conserved under Departmentof Forestry. Ratargul is located in Gowainghat upazilla ofSylhet district. It is situated by the river named Goain.Ratargul Swamp Forest is also linked with ChengirKhal canal.Most of the trees are Koroch tree whose scientific name isPongamia Pinnata. The forest goes under water of 20-30 feet inrainy season. The water level is about 10 feet for rest of theyear and some place of the forest remains dry. A tour willgive you exceptional feeling. The trees, water, the boat andeverything around will create an amazing environment. Nobodyshould miss this. Try to feel the beauty and pulse ofRatargul.

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Economic Impact of tourism in Bangladesh:Tourism has been considered as the world's largest and rapidgrowing industry of modern business world. It has a vitalinfluence on the economy of any country. Although Bangladeshis a new tourist destination on the world's map, Bangladeshhas enormous potential todevelop tourism because of its attractive natural beauty andrich cultural heritage. Tourism can add value in the economyof Bangladesh by proper planning and execution with honesty.

1. Tourism Contribution to GDP

In the tourism report of World Bank 2013, it found, Bangladeshhas recorded tk 193.0 billion as the direct contribution of travel & tourism to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2012 and tk 207.9 billion in 2013 which was the 2.1% of the total GDP. The contribution of travel & tourism to GDP is forecasted to rise by 6.4% per annum to tk 384.7 billion by 2023.

2. Employment

Travel& tourism directly support 1,281,500 jobs in 2012 and 1,337,885 jobs in 2013 which was 1.8% of the total employment.And it is expected to rise by 2.9% to 1,785,000 by 2023 and which will be 1.9% of the total employment.

3. Visitor Exports

Visitor exports generated tk 7.7 billion in 2012 and tk 8.1 billion in 2013. It is forecasted to increase by 4.9% per annum to tk 12.8 billion by 2023.

4. Investment

Travel & tourism investment was tk 37.3 billion in 2012 and 39.2 billion in 2013 which was 1.6% of total investment. The

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domestic and foreign investment is expected to increase by tk 67.4 billion by 2023.

5. Increase Export:

Bangladesh mainly exports readymade garments (RGM), shrimps, raw jute, carpet, leather, tea etc. By visiting the country, apositive brand image builds in their mind which has a positiveeffect in the export increase.

6. Foreign Currency Earning:

Foreign currency earnings from tourism are the receipts of non-domestic currency earned by selling goods and services to foreign tourist. In year 2011 total earning was 83.73million US dollars, it increased to 100.75 million US dollars in 2012, and although in 2013, one third of the year was spoilt by political clashes, Though 85.50 million US dollars in 2013 was earned.

7. Increase Business Revenues:

An increase number of tourist will generate additional demand,and to fulfill the demand, producers produce more quantity of products and services which will generateadditional business revenue.

8. Contribution to Government's Revenue:

Contribution received from the tourism sector may be direct orindirect. a) Direct contribution arises from charging tapes onincome; b) Indirect sources of incomewill mainly comprise of the range of taxes and duties levied on goodsand services supplied to the domestic and foreign tourist.

9. Infrastructure Development:

Tourist visitation generates additional use of public facilities like parks, gardens, pools, stadia, museums etc. which generates the demand of other physical infrastructure suchas road, water supply, waste water system, car parking and other public utilities. In-a-word, tourist

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visitation increases the demand for public services which willresult in development of those public infrastructures.

10. Hospitality Industry:

Hospitality industry is one of the major industries in many countries of the world. This industry comprises the operation of hotels, motels, resorts, guest houses, rest houses,picnic and recreation spots etc. where the principal customersare the domestic and foreign tourist.

Bangladesh moves forward in Global tourism

Bangladesh achieved significant leap in travel and tourismindustry competitiveness index, according to the Travel andTourism Competitiveness Report 2013.

The biennial report, published by the World Economic Forumearly this month, showed that the country climbed to 123rdfrom its earlier position of 129th in 2011.

Switzerland, Germany, Austria, United Kingdom and UnitedStates lead the index of 140 countries when Haiti, Chad andBurundi, Sierra Leon and Guinea were the bottom five.

India moved to 65th from earlier 68th, Sri Lanka to 74th from81st and Pakistan to 122nd from 125th when Nepal's positionremained unchanged at 112th.

The report, published under the theme, reducing barriers toeconomic growth and job creation, sees considerable movementin the Index's top 10 countries. France fell four places fromthird in 2011 to seventh, while Spain climbed to fourth fromeighth. Also showing strong improvement were the UnitedKingdom - up two places to fifth and Canada, up one place toeighth.

Alongside Switzerland and Germany, the United States andSingapore maintained their positions, in sixth and 10thplaces, respectively. Sweden, the only other country in thetop 10 to fall, dropped from fifth to ninth.

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Constrains of TourismAlthough Bangladesh has huge potential to flourish as a veryexpected tourist destination, but the following problems arecrucial for the development oftourism in Bangladesh:

Lack of financial support from government:

In a report of World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)Economic impact 2012, predict that the investment at tourismsector will reach TK36.52 billion in 2012 and rise by 6.7percent over the next 10 years to taka 69.8 billion in 2022 inBangladesh. It is a global report but in Bangladesh noreliable report, data or statistics on tourism are available.But this assumed investment how, when and where will beinvested are not clear. All policy, planning and moneys areallocated for already established as tourist organization.There is no extra planning or budget allocation for theProblems and Prospects of Tourism in Bangladesh.

Lack of transportation system:

Sound transportation system is a very crucial element for thedevelopment of any country. Tourist friendly transportation isvery necessary for smooth and free movements for the tourist.In Bangladesh there is a poor transportation service that isnot up to the mark. It needs to develop this problem ininternational standard if Bangladesh wants to collect foreigncurrency. No electricity across the roads which makes thejourney risky at night.

Absence of training institution related to tourism:

Lack of effective and efficient training institution isanother problem against fostering tourism atBangladesh. Sometimes Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation andother training institution organize some training program andseminar program in Dhaka. District wise training programs arevery limited in number.

Lack of other infrastructural facility:

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There are many remote areas in Bangladesh. As a leastpopulated district, people used to live in a great distance.So lack of medical services, telecommunication facilities,hygiene sanitary services, lack of internet connections aredisturbing both domestic and foreign tourist.

Safety and security:

Safety and security is one of most necessary element for tourism development. If any tourist feel insecure in a touristspot, if there is fear of abduction or fear of losing preciouspossession, then how attractive the tourist spot is, people will not feel urgency to see thespot. In Bangladesh, army and district administration and Bangladesh police engaged to ensure the security of the tourist. But it is not enough to protect tourists from abduction. Local people should be encouraged to ensure the security of tourists.

Lack of contact with the market:

Most of the hotels in Bangladesh are not using any promotionalcampaign with the customer. People used to come to Bangladeshand then start to find their accommodation. Only few resortlike Nilgiri and others use booking system which too hard toget. Foreigners are not well-known about the tourist spots ofBangladesh.

Lack of appropriate tourism policy:

The national tourism policy was declared in 1992 describingvarious objectives. A strategic master plan for tourismdevelopment was prepared by UNDP/WTO in1990 which is updatedby WTO. Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, since its inceptionin 1972 has worked harder to establish Bangladesh as tourismoriented country by hotels, motels, and restaurant. But it isnot enough for the development of tourism. The corporationshould formulate sustainable tourism policy by maintainingconservation, respecting cultures of tribe, finding currenttourist trend, market identification.

Lack of Conservation:

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If tourism develops at Bangladesh, the local community should be careful and be attentive to preserve its natural beauty because this natural beauty can ensure their better life by providing jobs to them. Bangladesh’s tourist potentiality as atourist destination depends on nature. So we should keep in mind the need to preserve and protect the natural beauty of Bangladesh by educating all including tourist, tour operator and local community.

Lack of Appropriate Tourism Policies:

The national tourism policy was declared in 1992. But it is not updated, rich enough for the healthy tourism system.

Lack of Contact with the Market:

Most of the hotel is not using any promotional campaign with aspecific targeted customers or tourist. Only few resort use advance booking system.

Lack of Market information:

There is a lack of information about the potential tourist of Bangladesh. So, without adequate useful information, it is difficult to evaluate the prospective number oftourist and their demand.

Other problems:

Beside the above problems,

a) Economic recession in tourism generating countries, b) Warfare and civil unrest,c) Short or mid-term economic and political instability, d) Changing in the cost of transportation etc.

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also major obstacles for the development of tourism in Bangladesh.

RecommendationsThough there are many problems of tourism industry in Bangladesh, we as well as government should come forward to take some initiatives to develop the tourism industry by whichwe can earn more foreign currency. There is a great potentiality to promote tourism in Bangladesh. By developing infrastructure, promotional activities, long-term planning, and our tourism may get more popularity to the tourist around the world. Beside these, we like to recommend the followings for the overall development of tourism. Some important recommendations are as follows:

Development of Financial support

There is no extra planning or budget allocation for theProblems and Prospects of Tourism in Bangladesh. So, ifgovernment put more importance on our tourism industry, it caneasily be developed.

Establishment of training institution related totourism

There is lack of training institution related to tourism. So,if we want to develop our foreign currency from tourismindustry, we should establish training institutions related totourism in all over the country.

Development of Security System

Government and security forces could take necessary steps toensure security at different tourist places. Security forcescould set up fixed camp at different tourist places.

Development of Transportation System

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Tourism sector is very important for our economy. Fordeveloping tourism sector, transportation is one of the mainfactors. If roads are fine, then tourists will be able toreach their destination very easily.

Availability of Good Food

When tourists go to any place, at first they think about goodand hygienic food. So, government and BPC take steps to set upsome good hotel to ensure food facility.

Development of other infrastructural facility

There are many remote areas in Bangladesh. So, there are lack of medical services, telecommunication facilities, hygiene sanitary services, lack of internet connections which are disturbing both domestic and foreign tourist. Government can develop other infrastructural facility to improve the standardof tourism.

Development of communication System

It is very necessary to make easy communication to reachtourist spots by building roads, helipad for helicopter.Tourist information centre can be introduced across theBangladesh for the tourist they can get information abouttheir expected destination, transportation and residing placeand other necessary information.

Develop an Effective Brand Image for Tourism

A branding will not only help tourism of the country, moreoverit encourages foreign investment. A tourism branding campaigncalled ' Beautiful Bangladesh' has been developed, but it isnot enough, more branding campaign needed to be developed.

Infrastructure Development

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It is must for the sustainable tourism development of anycountry and no exception for Bangladesh. So, tourism friendlyinfrastructure is required for smooth and free movement oftourist of all age.

Develop Eco-tourism

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation should take initiatives foreco-tourism development in Bangladesh, especially in thenaturally and culturally rich area.

Visa Policy

Bangladesh needs to change the visa policy. It may go for visawaivers for the top tourist generating countries and introducevisa on arrival systems for tourist groups. For example, Nepalprovides visa on arrival for Bangladeshi tourists.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Project

A developed infrastructure is needed to maximize the potentialof tourism in Bangladesh and to attract a wide segment of the national and international tourism community. By PPP investment, the infrastructural development will be possible within a short period.

Increase Other Facilities

Beside these, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation needs to developaccommodation, restaurant and cafe, transportation, good communication, skilled man power etc.

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ConclusionSince tourism is a profitable sector, in the long run,sustainable tourism development inthe country may be possible through adopting appropriatepolicies and strategies,knowledge sharing and cooperation. To expand tourism, newdestinations based onregional settings should be identified and preserved fordeveloping attractive tourismsites both for domestic and foreign tourists. Such placesshould be kept free from anyillegal encroachment, chaos and pollution. The success oftourism development depends,however, on the cooperation of various players involved in thesector from public andprivate sectors. Finally, as tourism development involvesmulti-dimensional activities,visionary leadership at national, regional and local levels isof utmost necessity. It ishoped that Bangladesh will quickly move forward to exploit thepotentials of tourism infavour of its national development.

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GoB, 2010. Gazette on Growth, Operation and Developmentof Tourism Industry in Bangladesh,Dhaka: Government of Bangladesh.

Gunn, C. A. 1988. Tourism Planning, Second Edition.Philadelphia: Taylor & Francis.Hossain, M. A. and Nazmin, S. 2006. Development ofTourism Industry in Bangladesh- anempirical study on its problems and prospects. Centre forTourism and Hotel ManagementResearch,

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Ga-1, Rashedul Hasan Bhaban, University of Dhaka, Dhaka.http://www.mocat.gov.bd/att_location.php?type_id=1,Retrieved on March 11, 2010.

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