Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam Rita MP has announced the target of increasing the contribution of the tourism sector to GDP to 6 to 7 percent.
The Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism made this announcement at the first session of the District Commissioners’ Conference 2026 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium at 9 am today. State Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, MP was present as a special guest at the event.
The minister said, “The BNP government, committed to the people, is determined to implement its election manifesto at the earliest. And in this journey, I hope that our District Administrators will make their utmost efforts to take forward field-level development activities. Currently, the contribution of the tourism sector to the country’s GDP is only 3 percent. We want to increase it to 6 to 7 percent.”
The minister said that there are 1742 tourist spots all over Bangladesh. This means that there are tourist spots in every district of the country. We are formulating a master plan for the development of the country’s tourism sector. By utilizing your skills and talents, we will be able to take the tourism sector forward, God willing. At this time, the minister drew the attention of the Honorable Minister of Culture to develop Baliati Zamindar Bari and Teota Zamindar Bari located in Manikganj to attract tourists.
State Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat said, “I believe that each of you can be a pioneer of change in your respective districts. A new tourist spot, a clean and safe environment, a creative initiative—all these can change the economy of a district. Remember, the journey of highlighting Bangladesh brightly on the world’s tourism map will begin with your hands.”
The session was chaired by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani and was attended by Hon’ble Minister for Culture Nitai Roy Chowdhury, MP as the chief guest. Among others, Hon’ble Minister of State for Culture Ali Newaz Mahmud Khayyam, MP, Hon’ble Prime Minister’s Advisor on Cultural Affairs Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman and senior government officials were also present.
