DHAKA: The World Tourism Day (WTD) is being celebrated in Friday across the country like elsewhere around the world.

The theme of the year is “Tourism and Water: Protecting our Common Future".

Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB), the National Tourism Organization (NTO have chalked out a 16-day long programmes to mark the day.

Besides Dhaka city, various places in country arranged rally, workshop, boat race, seminar, debate competition, photo exhibition, talk show and food festival.

According to the data in 2007 Bangladesh received 2, 89,110 tourists. After 11 years in 2012, Bangladesh could attract 5, 88,193 tourists.

Bangladesh tourism board in a statistics shows that in 2003 the country received 2, 44509 tourists and next year it reached to 2, 71270. But the data of 2005 and 2006 was dreadful as the number of tourists decreased to 63,608 due to political instability.

According to Bangladesh Bank, the tourism sector earned over $100 million in 2012 while $65.81 million in 2007 and next year increased to $ 89.23 million.

Following the matter tourism board chief executive officer Akhtaruzzaman Jaman Khan Kabir told banglanews that Bangladesh Tourism Board is working restlessly to develop the sector.

BDST: 1100 HRS, SEP 27, 2013
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