A plan for Bangladesh special tourist zones begins

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/04/21/news0165.htm

Work on development of special tourist zones begins
BSS, Dhaka

The government has started work on developing ‘special tourist zones’ for promotion of the country’s tourism sector.

To this end, the authorities concerned identified 700 spots from which sites would be selected to develop as tourism zones.

The objective of the programme, to be implemented by the civil aviation and tourism ministry, is to generate employment and earn foreign currency by attracting the foreign tourists.

The government is going to enact ‘Bangladesh Reserved Areas for Tourism and Special Tourism Zones Act 2010.’

The draft of the law has already been approved by the cabinet. This law will prohibit construction of unplanned and illegal structures in the places of tourist attraction.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Shafiq Alam Mehdi said the special tourist zones would be developed in public-private joint ventures or at individual initiatives.

The formulation of the new tourism law in a short time proved the Prime Minister’s keenness for development of tourism sector, he said.

Development of the sector would create employment opportunities for huge population and earn foreign currencies, he added.

The tourism secretary said the necessary structures would be built and arrangements made in the selected tourist spots for the local and foreign tourists.

The special tourist zones would be set up in a very planned way. The tourism project would be implemented by 2013. Work is also on for adoption of a long-term plan to be implemented by 2021.

Sources said local and foreign entrepreneurs are coming forward with investment proposals because of the tourism-friendly plans of the present government.