Photo: Ministry

DHAKA, August 13, 2026 (BSS) – State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat today said the government is formulating the ‘National Tourism Policy 2026’ to ensure realistic and effective development of tourism destinations across the country.

“We’re formulating the ‘National Tourism Policy 2026’. We will take realistic decisions for the development of tourism destinations and implement them,” he said.

The State Minister was addressing a seminar titled “Development of Backwater Tourism”, organised by the Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) at Tourism Bhaban in the capital's Agargaon area.

Millat said the government has already taken steps to transform Bangladesh into a tourism hub and is working to implement its electoral commitments regarding the sector.

He said initiatives have also been taken to sign Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with several ministries to overcome longstanding inter-ministerial coordination gaps that have impeded tourism development.

However, the State Minister stressed that private-sector stakeholders must come forward to accelerate the industry's growth.

“We will formulate private investment-friendly policies for the tourism sector. Besides, the manpower of the Bangladesh Tourism Board and Bangladesh Tourist Police will be increased,” he said.

Millat said the ministry would request Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to convene meetings of the National Tourism Council every six months to ensure regular policy-level coordination and monitoring.

Expressing optimism over the industry’s prospects, he said the contribution of tourism to Bangladesh's GDP could reach 10 percent in the foreseeable future with coordinated efforts from all stakeholders.

The state minister said the present government believes in action rather than words and is taking concrete measures to advance the country's tourism industry.

He said the present government had remained out of power for 20 years and alleged that, due to a lack of media freedom during that period, people could not adequately learn about the setbacks suffered by the tourism sector.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Fahmida Akhter, who attended the seminar as guest of honour, said the government has already started work on the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) to address the shortage of reliable tourism data.

She said a development project for Tanguar Haor has also been included in this year's Annual Development Programme (ADP).

“The sector failed to make adequate progress in the past because of a lack of coordination. With your cooperation, we will be able to overcome the coordination gaps and move the tourism sector forward,” she said.

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation Chairman Md Samimuzzaman said the scope of backwater tourism encompasses virtually the entirety of riverine Bangladesh, creating significant potential for developing the segment.

He stressed the importance of involving local communities in tourism development, saying employment generation among local people would also contribute to enhancing tourist safety.

Bangladesh Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer Md Abdur Rouf, chaired the seminar, while Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation Chairman Samimuzzaman attended as special guest.

The seminar discussed the importance and present status of backwater tourism in Bangladesh, challenges facing its development, prospective action plans and measures needed to unlock its potential.

Dr Md Anwar Hossain Bhuiyan, Associate Professor at National University, presented the keynote paper.