Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) is trying very hard to find out the problems of the country's tourism sector and solve those within the shortest possible time, said its chairman.
Shafique Alam Mehdi, chairman of BPC, does not shy away from admitting the problems of the sector and said, "Since formation of the BPC, wc (BPC) failed many times to concentrate on the problems of the sector due to more involvement in commercialactivities."
“We have some major shortcomings in exploring all the places that can be tourist destinations. For that we will have to identify the spots first and then promote those," he said while talking to The Daily Star at his office.
"Another major problem of the sector is lack of proper infrastructure, such as weak communication system to our different tourist spots," he said.
"The roads and the communication systems in many places are not okay yet, and lack of easy and cheap accommodation and proper security is holding back the sector's growth," he added.
Alam, who has been in government service for 26 years, said, tourism is a big sector that needs the government's special attention and care. “It's difficult to overcome all these problems overnight."
"We need time and a huge amount of budget to develop the infrastructure, but we have to start and continue developing," he said.
He was also open to admit the bureaucratic problems as different ministries are involved in developing infrastructure.
About overcoming the problems, he said, "BPC is now trying to introduce multidimensional tourism to explore newer places with specific references such as religious, natural and archeological spots.”
"The government is planning to appoint local and foreign tourist experts, including tour operators, architects and professionals involved with hospitality sector, to act as consultants to develop the sector," he said.
BPC is now concentrating on forming a committee led by Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed, winner of the prestigious Ramon Magasaysay Award 2004, to brand the country. The committee will have an advisory council to get inputs to develop the sector in a proper way.
Alam said the government has decided to reform and rearrange the structure of BPC to develop the sector.
He said after being established in 1972 by a presidential order, BPC has been working to develop the country's tourism sector and maintaining commercial activities by running hotels, motels, bars,
swimming pools and golf clubs and now it really needs reform.
Alam said BPC has started its reform process from May this year and has already started privatising its hotels, motels and restaurants and bars.
"Out of the 35 establishments, we have already privatised 15, including hotels, motels, bars and swimming pools,” he said.
“We have handed over
those establishments to the private sector under lease agreement for 15 years, and four more organisations are on the way to be privatised," he added.
He said the rest 16 establishments would be privatised under the new structure that is to be formed by the yearend.
BPC has already finalised a draft tourism act, which is now waiting for the government approval, he added.
“If the government okays the tourism act, we hope by this December BPC will be converted into National Tourism Board or Bangladesh Tourism Board."
The board will be an autonomous body and will be maintained by a board of directors.
He said the government is planning to set up a tourism department, which will work as a regulatory-body The body will oversee the development of the sector, ensure quality of the services and coordinate public and private initiatives taken for the development of the sector.
The BPC chairman said not only the foreign tourists, the domestic tourists have mainly forced the corporation to pay extra attention to the sector.
"During the last five years the sector witnessed a remarkable growth, as the domestic tourism developed a lot,” he said, adding that in peak season sometimes it becomes difficult to manage accommodation for tourists in Cox's Bazar.
"We are trying to boost the sector by introducing cable car and tourist police," he said.
He said BPC has already finalised plan for introducing cable car in Bandarban by the end of this year to attract both domestic and foreign tourists.
“We have also decided to deploy tourist police in different tourist spots, especially in Cox's Bazar, to ensure the security for the local and for-
eign tourists," he added.
Alam, the 29th chairman oJ ’ BPC, also said the corporation is trying to encourage investors at home and abroad to build new hotels and motels to develop the sector.
"We got proposals from some investors in UAE, Japan, Australia and Malaysia, who are looking for large plots of land to establish tourist resorts in Bangladesh," be said.
In April, for example, Ras Al Khaima Investment Authority sought land in Chittagong and Cox's Bazar to establish an exclusive tourism zone.
The BPC chairman is very excited about the voting on seven natural wonders of the world, and has called upon every body to vote for Cox's Bazar and the Sundarbans to include these two places in the list of seven natural wonders. The voting will continue a until November.
As of yesterday, Cox's Bazar is toping the list, while the Sundarbans is in the 15th position on the list of seven natural wonders of the world.
He said, "If Cox's Bazar can grab the top position, it will boost the country's economy, especially the tourism sector.”
Many countries such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia have changed their economy very rapidly exploring the sector, the BPC chairman added.
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