Protecting biodiversity of Sundarbans

Tourists asked to be cautious

Leading tour operators and tourism experts yesterday urged all tourists to practice responsible tourism while visiting the Sundarbans for protecting biodiversity and wildlife of the world's only mangrove forest, reports BSS.
It was observed that some tourists and picnic parties in the Sundarbans are using loud speakers, littering garbage everywhere and trying to feed junk food to deer that are clear threats to wildlife and ecology of the forest, they observed while talking at a workshop in the capital.
The National Hospitality and Tourism Training Institute (NHTTI) and Tourism Forum of Bangladesh (TFB) jointly organised the workshop on "Nirapad Sundarbans Bhromon (Safe Tour to the Sundarbans)" at the seminar hall of Bangladesh Pajjatan Corporation (BPC) at Mahakhali in the capital.
During the workshop it was revealed that nearly 2.75 lakh tourists are visiting the Sundarbans annually and among them 15 per cent are foreign tourists.
Executive Director of Bengla Tours Masud Hossain conducted the workshop and discussed on safe and sustainable tourism, existing problems and new policy for the Sundarbans tour operation.
Masud said now domestic tourists are feeding different junk food even "Halua Rooti" to deer at different spots in the Sundarbans. "As per the wildlife experts, if the practice continues the food habit of the deer will be changed within few decades," he said.
He identified numbers of drawbacks for the Sundarbans tourism including lack of coordination in carrying out planned tour operation, lack of skilled tour guides and ship crews, lack of quality tourist vessels and development of unplanned tourism establishments.
Masud said the government and all tourism stakeholders must ensure so that no tourism structure will hamper the ecology or wildlife of the Sundarbans.
Acting Principal of NHTTI Matiul Karim inaugurated the workshop as the chief guest while General Secretary of PATA Bangladesh Chapter Taufiq Rahman was in the chair.
Former president of Tour Operator Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) Faridul Haque, Editor of daily Ajkaler Khabar Pranab Saha, TFB convenor Zahriuddin Babor, joint convenor Md Taslim Amin Shovon, General Secretary of Aviation and Tourism Journalists' Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB) Tanzim Anwar and CEO of Radio Bhuban Nusrat also spoke on the occasion.
Around 25 tour operators and 20 (twenty) tour guide attended the workshop that will help them to operate safe and eco-friendly Sundarbans tour in near future.

Protecting biodiversity of Sundarbans

Tourists asked to be cautious

Leading tour operators and tourism experts yesterday urged all tourists to practice responsible tourism while visiting the Sundarbans for protecting biodiversity and wildlife of the worlds only mangrove forest, reports BSS. It was observed that some tourists and picnic parties in the Sundarbans are using loud speakers, littering garbage everywhere and trying to feed junk food to deer that are clear threats to wildlife and ecology of the forest, they observed while talking at a workshop in the capital. The National Hospitality and Tourism Training Institute (NHTTI) and Tourism Forum of Bangladesh (TFB) jointly organised the workshop on Nirapad Sundarbans Bhromon (Safe Tour to the Sundarbans) at the seminar hall of Bangladesh Pajjatan Corporation (BPC) at Mahakhali in the capital. During the workshop it was revealed that nearly 2.75 lakh tourists are visiting the Sundarbans annually and among them 15 per cent are foreign tourists. Executive Director of Bengla Tours Masud Hossain conducted the workshop and discussed on safe and sustainable tourism, existing problems and new policy for the Sundarbans tour operation. Masud said now domestic tourists are feeding different junk food even Halua Rooti to deer at different spots in the Sundarbans. As per the wildlife experts, if the practice continues the food habit of the deer will be changed within few decades, he said. He identified numbers of drawbacks for the Sundarbans tourism including lack of coordination in carrying out planned tour operation, lack of skilled tour guides and ship crews, lack of quality tourist vessels and development of unplanned tourism establishments. Masud said the government and all tourism stakeholders must ensure so that no tourism structure will hamper the ecology or wildlife of the Sundarbans. Acting Principal of NHTTI Matiul Karim inaugurated the workshop as the chief guest while General Secretary of PATA Bangladesh Chapter Taufiq Rahman was in the chair. Former president of Tour Operator Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) Faridul Haque, Editor of daily Ajkaler Khabar Pranab Saha, TFB convenor Zahriuddin Babor, joint convenor Md Taslim Amin Shovon, General Secretary of Aviation and Tourism Journalists Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB) Tanzim Anwar and CEO of Radio Bhuban Nusrat also spoke on the occasion. Around 25 tour operators and 20 (twenty) tour guide attended the workshop that will help them to operate safe and eco-friendly Sundarbans tour in near future.