S A Shofiee, Sylhet:
The government has undertaken a groundbreaking master plan around six popular tourist centers in Sylhet, including Sadapathar and Jaflong. The plan has been implemented with the aim of promoting the country’s tourism industry to international standards, boosting the local economy and opening new horizons for employment.
As part of this initiative, the ‘Sylhet Tourism Masterplan Committee’ visited various tourist areas in Sylhet on Thursday (September 25). The committee, formed with Dr. Bazlur Rashid, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, as the chairman of the committee, includes experts from environmental science, architecture, urban planning, tourism management and the public and private sectors.
During the visit, the committee members visited Sadapathar, Jaflong and the surrounding areas and collected various information and data at the field level, including the current condition of the tourist centers, environmental challenges, infrastructural weaknesses and the lifestyle of the local people.
Later, while talking to reporters, the committee members said, ‘We have formulated a long-term and sustainable master plan. So that the natural beauty is preserved, the locals benefit and international tourists get a better experience. The main goal of this master plan is to develop the tourist centers while maintaining the balance of the environment, ensuring modern facilities for tourists and creating employment for the local people.’
They further said, ‘Development activities will be carried out in the tourist centers while maintaining the balance of the environment. The plan is giving special importance to the conservation of wetlands, rivers, mountains and biodiversity.’
Promising world-class facilities, the officials concerned said, ‘According to the master plan, there will be a clear outline for building modern facilities for tourists such as improved road connectivity, adequate accommodation, health and safety services, cleanliness and information service centers. There will be a system to create international standard infrastructure and present local culture and heritage to attract foreign tourists. At the same time, emphasis will be given to the ‘eco-tourism’ and ‘community-based tourism’ models, so that local residents directly benefit.’
During the inspection, local businessmen, transport workers, guides and ordinary residents welcomed this master plan. According to them, if this initiative is implemented, the local economy will be much stronger during the tourist season and new employment opportunities will be created. They expect that if this master plan is implemented, Sylhet will become one of the main international standard tourist destinations in the country.
A hotel owner in the Gowainghat area of ​​Sylhet said, ‘We have been waiting for a developed tourism system for a long time. If the plan is implemented now, the fate of thousands of people here will change.’
This master plan is being considered as an era-appropriate initiative to establish Sylhet, surrounded by natural beauty, more firmly on the international tourism map. Now it is waiting for its implementation, so that not only Sylhet, but the entire country will benefit from this tourism.
