Japanese Investors Eye $120 Crore Investment in Bangladesh’s Tourism Sector

Japanese investors have announced an initial investment of 1.2 billion US dollars in Bangladesh’s tourism and hospitality sector. The government has promised to act fast once investors formally submit the proposal. The Bangladesh Tourism Board will also arrange for the investors to visit different tourist spots in the country.

Officials made the announcement yesterday afternoon at a meeting with a Japanese investor delegation. The meeting took place in the conference room of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism. Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism Mr. M Rashiduzzaman Millat joined as chief guest.

At the meeting, the minister said Bangladesh has great potential for tourism. He said the country’s nature, heritage and culture offer a rich variety that can draw tourists. He said the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world, Cox’s Bazar, the longest unbroken natural sea beach in the world, and the tea gardens of Sylhet can attract visitors from across the world.

He said the present government welcomes foreign investment in the tourism sector. He said the government wants to work with international investors to grow this sector. He spoke of the long friendship between Bangladesh and Japan. He said Japan has helped build key infrastructure in the country for many years. He said the government will welcome the help of Japanese investors in the growth of tourism too.

The minister also said the government wants a partnership in which both sides gain from foreign investment. For this, he said, the government wants to work under a public private partnership (PPP) model. The Japanese investor representatives said they are sincere about investing in Bangladesh. They said they are ready to work together to grow the country’s tourism sector. They then announced an initial investment of 1.2 billion US dollars in tourism and hospitality.

The minister welcomed the investors’ interest. He said, “We warmly welcome the interest of Japanese investors in investing in Bangladesh. The government will quickly take the needed steps once they formally submit their investment proposal.”

He also said the Bangladesh Tourism Board will quickly arrange for the Japanese investors to visit different tourist spots in the country. Officials hope this will make it easier to find areas for possible investment and to create new chances for growth in the tourism sector.