Bangladesh (Commonwealth Union)_ Muhammad Faruk Khan, the Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister, announced that Bangladesh and India are set to launch a joint tourism fair to enhance tourist inflow between the two neighboring countries, promoting regional tourism. The decision was unveiled at the secretariat during a meeting with Pranay Verma, the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh. Minister Khan highlighted discussions on increasing tourism cooperation and attracting more Indian tourists, expressing the intention to hold joint tourism fairs and streamline the visa procedure.
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Addressing the reporters after the meeting, Khan said, “We have discussed increasing tourism cooperation between Bangladesh and India, especially how to attract more tourists from India. We have decided to hold joint tourism fairs and take steps to further ease the visa procedure”. Minister Khan emphasized the potential strengthening of the friendship between Dhaka and New Delhi through collaborative efforts in the civil aviation and tourism industries. He expressed optimism about continued Indian cooperation in the overall development of both nations and discussed new schemes for future collaboration, with the Indian side presenting proposals during the meeting. He said, “We want the continuation of Indian cooperation in the overall development of Bangladesh and India; we also discussed the new scheme for the future”.
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Additionally, the minister addressed the need for advanced air connectivity between Bangladesh and India. In response to queries, Khan mentioned plans to discuss with the foreign and home ministries the simplification of visa issuance procedures, including considering on-arrival visas for foreign tourists visiting Bangladesh. Discussing Biman’s performance, the minister revealed that the national flag carrier is currently running at a profit, and the government is actively working on acquiring new aircraft. Furthermore, Minister Khan directed relevant authorities to allocate dedicated counters for expatriates and valiant freedom fighters.
Following the meeting, Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma noted the keen interest of several Indian entrepreneurs in investing in Bangladesh’s tourism industry. Verma affirmed that efforts are being made to influence and facilitate Indian investments. He also emphasized the potential for launching new air destinations between the two friendly countries, especially highlighting India’s interest in establishing strong air connectivity between India’s North-Eastern states and Bangladesh. Responding to queries, the envoy disclosed that India issued 1.6 million visas for Bangladeshi citizens last year, and there is consideration for issuing on-arrival visas for Bangladeshis in the future.
