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Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) dedicates to raise tourism contribution to country’s GDP in line with the target of the ruling government to achieve the agenda of SDGs and Prosperous Bangladesh through creating skilled manpower, says Ali Kadar
Abu Sazzad with Jasmine Aktar
Country’s tourism sector needs to create skilled manpower to boost the impact oriented sector in generating higher income from the existing level. “The tourism sector has a lot of potential to raise its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in line with the target of the ruling government to achieve the agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Prosperous Bangladesh. To ensure higher contribution from tourism sector to the government exchequer, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) has undertaken multifarious holistic approaches to create skilled manpower in the country” told Md Ali Kadar, Chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) while giving an exclusive interview to the Daily Tribunal at his office in the capital.
His conversation with the correspondent would help portraying the ongoing status of the tourism sector as well as inspiring the stakeholders in home and abroad to undertake the Public Private Partnership to attain win-win situations that are given in the bellow.
Daily Tribunal Question: As the existing chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC), what is your motto and plan for further development of the country’s tourism sector?
Ali Kadar: At first, I am providing my gratitude to the Daily Tribunal authority for disclosing my thinking to boost the tourism sector and economy. Actually, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation is responsible to promote and develop tourism, provide facilities, undertake measures and carry out all forms of activities connected with or ancillary to tourism. The Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation is now undertaking and implementing impact oriented projects to gain expected level of contribution from the tourism sector. Actually, we a lot of potentiality to boost the tourism sector because of the almighty blessed natural beauty, but lack of adequate skilled manpower is hindering the growth of the tourism sector. Currently, the tourism sector is contributing approximately 3 to 4 percent to the country’s GDP in recent years, but the sector has the potential to contribute at least 10 percent to the government exchequer. To ensure higher contribution from the said sector, we have undertaken a master plan to create skilled manpower in the tourism sector. We are working with the National Skills Development Authority to get adequate skilled manpower in the tourism sector. Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation already established a language efficiency programme and computer laboratory at its own building. On the other hand, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation is conducting various programs to create tourism awareness among the people and to establish institutes for instruction and training of potential tourism personnel.
Daily Tribunal Question: What is your upcoming plan to boost the tourism sector accordingly?
Ali Kadar: Actually, the incumbent government led by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is eager to ensure higher contribution from the tourism sector. Alongside the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared Tk 1,000 crore stimulus loan packages for the tourism sector to tackle the pandemic adversity, the government announced Tk 7,000 crore budgetary allocation. To utilize the said budgetary allocation, we are searching reputed stakeholders from home and abroad for implementing quality and time befitting PPP projects. Already, we received two proposals from Korea and Vietnam to implement the PPP project in an effective manner. If we do not get any quality PPP proposal, we will implement projects in our own way.
Already, twelve government-funded projects are under implementation for the development of potential areas for tourism in the country. The task of formulating a tourism master plan to develop the tourism industry has been taken up. To achieve economic prosperity through the development and growth of tourism, the authority is working for the improvement of the physical infrastructure and beautification of the tourist areas of different areas. The Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation is a statutory board under the Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism which is working to promote the tourism industry. The formation of Tourist Police is a time befitting approach of the ruling government to protect local and foreign tourists. At the same, the law enforcement are protecting the nature and wildlife in the tourist spots.
Daily Tribunal Question: What is your observation and remark on the barbaric killing incident of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman?
Ali Kadar: For the holistic thinking of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation was established in the year 1973 and Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation is involving to establish tourism infrastructures across the country. We are now providing policy and logistic support to undertake measures and carry out all kinds of activities connected with tourism because of the contribution of the legendary leader of all time. The vested groups conducted the barbaric, brutal and heinous killing incident on August 15, 1975 through killing the father of the nation and his family members which was the worst and tragic history in the world. “We got an independent country for the sacrifice of Bangabandhu and Bangamata. When the father of the nation was sent to the Pakistani jail, Bangamata acted as a true leader in absence of the most crucial time for the whole nation. I expressed my hatred for the killers because they not only killed Bangabandhu, but his dream to make a prosperous Bangladesh. I urged the countrymen to ensure their contribution in making a prosperous Bangladesh.