Over 3.1 million foreigners visited Bangladesh in six years: Menon

More than 3.12 million foreign tourists visited Bangladesh between 2010 and 2015, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon has said in parliament.

The year 2015 had seen the highest number of tourists -- 643,094 -- visiting the country while 2013 saw the lowest -- 277,596, Menon said on Monday.

The minister was responding to a query from Awami League MP Shamsul Hoque Chowdhury.

Flats for freedom fighters

Replying to a question from MP Mahfuzur Rahaman, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq told parliament that the government started a project to build 8,000 flats for underprivileged 1971 freedom fighters.

The buildings will be built in every district and upazila in accordance with the number of freedom fighters in the area, he added.

He said that 470 committees have also been formed to assess the identities of the ‘real freedom fighters’. Once these panels submit their evaluation reports, a gazette with the names of the war veterans will be issued and they will be given certificates.

Brick kilns

Responding to another question from Jatiya Party MP AKM Mayeedul Islam, Environment and Forests Minister Anwar Hossain said there were altogether 6,740 brick kilns across the country at present.

Of them, 4,990 establishments have received environmental clearance certificates and renewed them in time, he said. The number of brick kilns without such certificates is 1,750.

The minister, answering a question from MP M Abdul Latif, also said the government has allotted about 100,000 acres of land to 18,027 landless families during its previous and current terms.