`Expects Tk 342cr budget allocation for aviation, tourism sector'

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon today said he is expecting Taka 342 crore budget allocation for further development of aviation and tourism sector. 

"It's a good news that finance ministry today gave consent to allocate Taka 100 crore more as previously they planned to allocate Taka 242 for civil aviation and tourism," he said.

He was speaking as the chief guest at a pre-budget discussion on civil aviation and tourism, organized by Aviation and Tourism Journalist's Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB) at Jatiya Press Club here. 

The minister said they have proposed to finance minister to reduce duties on tourist vehicles and vessels in the upcoming annual budget.

Mentioning that Australia has relaxed its ban on air cargo from Dhaka considering the Bangladesh government's recent progress in airport security, the minister hoped that the UK will withdraw its ban on cargo from Dhaka soon.

He said the UK validator has already visited here and he will submit a report on ACC3 (Air Carrier Carrying Cargo or Mail from Third Country Airport) to the UK Department for Transport (DfT). "If the report will be good, the UK will withdraw its ban on direct cargo flight from Dhaka," he said. The minister said the US Federation Aviaion Administration (FAA) has expressed its satisfaction over the Bangladesh imitative in upgrading its airports. "I am hopeful that we will be able to resume Dhaka-New York flight soon," he said.

State Minister for Finance M A Manna spoke as the special guest while ATJFB President Nadira Kiron moderated the discussion. Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Air Vice Marshal Ihsanul Ghani and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bangladesh Tourism Board Akhtaruz Zaman Khan Kabir spoke as the Guest of Honour. 

First Vice President of Tour Operator Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) Raffeuzzaman and Secretary General of Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) Aslam Khan spoke as the designated speakers. 

Additional director (research) of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Training and Research Director of TOAB Masud Hossain and Finance Secretary of ATAB M Abdul Hamid presented separate key notepapers while ATJFB Vice President Muzib Masud gave vote of thanks. 

State Minister for Finance assured the tour operators that he will consider the demand of tour operators to give duty free facilities in importing tourist vehicles. 

Moazzem recommended for allocating more budget to conduct more promotional activities to attract foreign tourist to make visit Bangladesh programme centring the tourism year as a success. 

He recommended for splitting the civil aviation and tourism ministry considering the recent rapid growth in the country's tourism industry. Masud Hossain suggested allocating fund for carrying out extensive research on various aspects of Bangladesh tourism industry to make a holistic approach for development of this immensely potential sector.

Source: BSS.