Bandarban tourist spots will be opened on a limited scale from next week after being closed for nearly one month.
Shah Mujahid Uddin, Deputy Commissioner of Bandarban, confirmed the matter at a view-exchange meeting with the stakeholders related to tourism at the district administration conference room at 12.00pm on Wednesday.
Mohammad Jashim Uddin, General Secretary of Bandarban Hotel-Resort Owner’s Association, said Bandarban district has been famous as a tourist city for a long time due to its natural beauty. As a result, we chose this tourism industry as a source of livelihood in exchange for services that we offer to the tourists. Most of the investors in this sector are in debt. Starting from the Corona epidemic in 2020, along with other unforeseen situations, the tourism industry kept facing severe losses.
Recently, the livelihood of those involved directly and indirectly in 36 sectors of tourism in Bandarban has become badly affected due to the ban on travel by the district administration. In addition, the businessmen involved in this sector have a good reputation in society. However, as they were not being able to pay the bank loan regularly, they have now become loan defaulter, he added.
Considering their condition, tourism stakeholders demanded withdrawal of the imposed travel ban.
While addressing the demand of the tourism traders, Deputy Commissioner Shah Mujahid Uddin said all the requests made by the stakeholders related to tourism have been informed to the higher authorities. Travel will be opened in all the upazilas except Ruma-Rowangchhari and Thanchi within the next 7 to 10 days.
He expects that a decision will be taken very soon regarding the opening of Ruma-Rowangchhari and Thanchi for tourists.
Superintendent of Police Md Shahidullah Kowsar, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) S M Monjurul Hoque, Major Md Shaikh Uz Zaman of Bandarban Sadar Region, advisor of Bandarban Hotel-Resort Owner’s Association Kajal Kanti Dash, president Sirajul Islam, general secretary Mohammad Jashim Uddin, and organizing secretary Alauddin Shaharia, among others, were present at the view-exchange meeting.
When the view-exchange meeting was going on with the stakeholders related to tourism in the conference room of the District Commissioner, hundreds of tourism-related workers, including hotel-restaurant workers and CNG-easy bike drivers demonstrated with banners in front of the District Commissioner's office, demanding the lifting of the ban on travel to Bandarban.
