TEA HEAVEN RESORT (SREEMANGAL): Civil aviation and tourism minister Rashed Khan Menon opined that local people can extensively be employed through the development of tourism.
He came up with the announcement while addressing a discussion on the prospects of tourism in greater Sylhet.
A tourist creates jobs for 11 persons, he added.
The minister also put importance to prioritize the safety and security of tourists and asked the authorities concerned to highlight the tourist areas as Tourist Products.
Organized by Banglanews, the discussion was held at Tea Heaven Resort in Sreemangal on Sunday morning (July 24).
Putting emphasis on keeping the spots clean, the minister said litter-free tourist spots would attract more visitors.
He also said connectivity is very important for the development of tourism in any country.
How a tourist will be attracted to visit if they need much time than the usual to go to Bichhakandi?, he asked.
The minister also pledged to open Shamsernagar airport within a year, saying it will have positive impact on tourism.
Menon further said due to the shortage of budget the government is not being able to construct tourism offices in the every district.
He requested the local people to be tourism-friendly and warned against being too much greedy which is destroying the environment, forests and creating imbalance in ecology.
The minister also requested the owners of hotels and motels to come forward with package tour programs to attract more tourists.
Earlier, banglanews senior output editor Zakaria Mondol and assistant output editor Ashif Aziz conducted a presentation of the reports published recently by banglanews on Sylhet tourist spots though a projector.
Senior assistant super of Moulvibazar tourist police AKM Mosharraf Hossain, Sreemangal upazila nirbahi officer (acting) Biswajit Kumar Paul, Sreemangal police station OC M Mahbubur Rahman, Tea Heaven Resort managing director Sultan M Idris Ledu and director Abu Siddique Mohammad Musa and Sreemangal Inn’s chairman Mosayed Ali had attended the discussion.
Besides, Sreemangal press club general secretary M Idris Ali, Sreemangal union parishad chairman Bhanulal Roy, Climate-Resilient Ecosystems and Livelihoods (CREL) communication officer Obaidul Fatah Tanvir and high-ups of local administration, forest department, and representatives of tourism related government and non-government offices also were present here.
Banglanews24.com’s editor-in-chief Alamgir Hossain presided over the discussion while head of news Mahmood Menon and Lifestyle editor Sharmina Islam were moderators.
Sreemangal Inn, Tea Heaven Resort, Nirvana Inn and Ispahani sponsored the event.
BDST: 1612 HRS, JUL 24, 2016
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** Menon for motels, resorts in Sreemangal