Desk Report:
Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Afroza Khanam, MP, delivered a speech as the chief guest at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected executive committee of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) at the Gulshan Club on Sunday (August 2, 2026).
The Honorable Minister sincerely congratulated the members of the newly elected executive committee and said that the new leadership will play an important role in the development of the country’s tourism industry.
The Minister said that under the leadership of Honorable Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the government is working relentlessly to build a sustainable, modern and world-class tourism sector in Bangladesh. To this end, work is underway to formulate an integrated tourism master plan encompassing the country’s 1,498 tourist attractions, which will serve as a long-term guideline for the country’s tourism development.
He also said that the plan to turn Cox’s Bazar, the world’s longest natural seashore, into a regional tourism hub is one of the government’s priorities. At the same time, he expressed hope that the newly built Cox’s Bazar International Airport will play an important role in attracting international tourists and expanding the tourism sector.
The minister also mentioned the plan to provide special discounts for expatriate Bangladeshis in hotels and motels of the state-owned Bangladesh Tourism Corporation in recognition of their contribution.
Stating that the government is working to make the tourism sector one of the main driving forces of the country’s economy, he said that a target has been set to ensure a contribution of 6 to 7 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) from the tourism sector. To implement this target, an initiative has been taken to implement a nationwide Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) to address the existing data gap in the tourism sector. He sought the active cooperation of all stakeholders including TOAB in this work.
The program was attended by Secretary and Executive Chairman of the National Skill Development Authority Dr. Nazneen Kausar Chowdhury, Chairman of Bangladesh Tourism Corporation Mr. Md. Shamimuzzaman, Ambassador of the Philippines to Bangladesh H.E. Nina P. Kinglet, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Bangladesh H.E. Dharmapala Werakkodi, Brunei Darussalam High Commissioner to Bangladesh H.E. Haji Haris bin Haji Osman, representatives of the Nepal and Pakistan embassies, TOAB leaders, media personnel and prominent figures in the tourism sector.
