Muhith proposes to set aside Tk 1 billion for tourism sector development

The finance minister has proposed allocating Tk 1 billion for the development of the country’s tourism sector in the national budget for the 2016-17 financial year.

Abul Maal Abdul Muhith presented the Tk 3.41 trillion budget in Parliament on Thursday.

He proposed to allocate Tk 5.49 billion to the civil aviation and tourism ministry.

In the current 2015-16 fiscal’s original budget, this sector was given Tk 3.72 billion. The figure was later revised to Tk 2.90 billion.

Explaining his proposal on Thursday, Muhith said, “We are planning to undertake a project with a view to promoting our tourism sector in the international arena, creating tourism awareness at the local level and developing tourist sites in the country.

“As the ongoing year has been selected by the prime minister as 'Tourism Year', I propose to allocate Tk 1 billion initially for this purpose in this budget.”

He said the government was also considering building a Tourist and Entertainment Village in Cox’s Bazar, an international-standard Tourism Complex and a five-star hotel in Sylhet under Public-Private Partnership (PPP).