Though the world may see Bangladesh as a market of more than 30 million middle class people, riding on societal values, high resilience and a strong aspiration to progress, we have a vision to advance Bangladesh as a developing country by 2021 and a developed country by 2041.
The confidence comes from the fact that Bangladesh is no more an apparel manufacturing country, but has modernized and is quickly becoming a high-value knowledge-intensive society. Bangladesh exported 12 industrial robots to Korea in 2018, manufactured and sent 4 ships to India, sold a large quantity of refrigerators to Reliance, and boasts of 600,000 IT freelancers in the country.
Urbanizing fast, 41% of our population would be using mobile internet by 2025, and close to 50% of our population would be living in towns & cities.
Tourism Opportunities
Full of historical monuments, resorts, beaches, forests and exotic wildlife, tourists would also love angling, water skiing, river cruising, hiking, rowing, yachting and sea bathing. Some of Bangladesh’s main tourism destinations include the following:
Cox’s Bazar: Located in the far south-east of Bangladesh and spilling out into the Bay of Bengal, it is covered in salty fishing skiffs and bustling jetties, and is famous for its stunning beach which has a length of impressive 120 kilometers from north to south along the Indian Ocean. Being the third-longest beach in the world, tourists would love to surf on crashing turquoise waves and bubbling rock pools to enjoy themselves.
The Sundarbans: Located at the converging point of the mighty Brahmaputra and the scared Ganges at the edge of the Bay of Bengal, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is richly covered in spectacular wildlife. While Bengal tigers are found here stalking the mangroves, rhesus macaques swing in the canopies. Chitals and the local huts dotted around the area and hiding beneath waxy palm trees are also a great attraction.
Dhaka: This city is a jungle of a different kind, as it is full of temples, churches, mosques monuments, and colorful and aromatic bazaars. Situated along the banks of the Buriganga River, it was once a great city during the British Raj here and also during the Mughal period. Home of over 17 million people today, tourists would love to eat the curries and street food of Old Dhaka.
Saint Martin: It is the only coral island of Bangladesh and is located close to Chhera Island. Though named Zajira by some unknown Arabian sailors initially, the name was changed to Saint Martin’s Island by the British. Tourists find the sunrise and sunset, the exotic village life, sea turtle hatchery, coral rocks, and a sky full of stars at night very attractive. They may also opt for fishing, oceanic scuba diving, and walk by the sea beach.
Kuakata: Located in the southern part of Bangladesh, it has a panoramic view of the sea beach and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. It is famous for its stunning sunsets and sunrises at the wide sandy beach. Other attractions here include Fatrar Chor (part of Sundarban), Gangamati Reserved Forest, Jhau Bon (forest), Keranipara Seema Temple, Misripara Buddhist Temple, and Eco Park.
Rangamati: Located about 77 kilometers from Chittagong, it is also known as the Lake City of Bangladesh. Places to be visited here include the town, Hanging Bridge, Kaptai Lake, and Indigenous Museum, and can be accessed through a variety of vehicles from Chittagong.
Comilla: A popular tourist destination in Bangladesh, it is known for attractions such as Lalmai Hills, Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development, War Cemetery, Maynamoti Museum, Shah Shuja Masque, and Comilla Zoo.
Bandarban: Literally meaning ‘dam of monkeys’, it is one of the most fascinating tourist attractions of Bangladesh.
It is surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges and tourists may go for the largest Buddhist temple of Bangladesh, Buddha Dhatu Jadi; more Buddhist temples such as Ujanipara Vihar and Raj Vihar; Shoilo Propat Waterfall at Milanchari; Chimbuk Hill and Tribal Villages. Tourists also find peaks of Nilgiri and Thanchi breathtaking.
