Expressing satisfaction over the current excellent bilateral relations with Nepal, the Railways Minister highlighted the need for working together to tap the potential areas of bilateral cooperation in the areas of tourism, trade and connectivity.
He was addressing a function titled ‘Unveiling Visit Nepal Year 2020 Campaign’ marking the start of ‘Visit Nepal Year 2020’ at the Embassy of Nepal on Tuesday night as the chief guest.
Three renowned personalities of Bangladesh - two time-Mt. Everest Summiteer MA Mohit, popular singer Mehreen Bhuiyan Mahmud and popular actor Zahid Hassan – were appointed Goodwill Ambassadors for the ‘Visit Nepal Year 2020’.
Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Government of Nepal Kedar Bahadur Adhikari attended the function as special guest.
Ambassador of Nepal to Bangladesh Dr Banshidhar Mishra, Deputy Chief of Mission Dhan Bahadur Oli and Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (Toab) President Md Rafeuzzaman were, among others, present.
Secretary Kedar Bahadur highlighted various aspects of Nepali tourism sector and invited all Bangladeshi friends to visit Nepal and have a lifetime experience of its beauty and hospitality.
Ambassador Dr Banshidhar described Nepal as an all-season tourism destination offering various attractions to the visitors, including adventure, cultural and spiritual experiences and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) tourism.
People from different walks of life, including senior government officials, tourism sector officials, business houses, journalists, social workers, renowned celebrities and members of diplomatic communities in Dhaka were present.
The embassy also organised a photo show providing glimpses of beauty of Nepal and offered an opportunity to experience Nepal through Nepali food and cultural programmes.
The embassy launched a tourism blog as a platform for the travellers to Nepal to share their stories and experiences.
At the beginning, Nepali students in Bangladesh welcomed the guests in various traditional attires. They also showcased cultural dances.
Singer Mehreen also sang a number of songs – Bangla, English and Nepali songs.
The embassy has designed similar programmes in various cities of Bangladesh, including Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet and Rajshahi, Cox's Bazar, Rangpur where the Goodwill Ambassadors will share their experiences of Nepal and its beauty and authenticity as a regional tourism destination.
On January 1, President of Nepal inaugurated ‘Visit Nepal Year 2020’ amidst a grand ceremony held at the Dashrath Stadium, Kathmandu, Nepal.
After the promulgation of the new constitution, Nepal has entered into a new era of peace and prosperity with sustainable development, said the embassy.
As Nepal is laced with diverse culture, geography and scenic beauty, it is rightly known as the ‘Garden of the World’ where tourism remains as one of the major attractions for visitors around the globe, it said.
The embassy said Nepal has launched a national campaign designed to welcome 2 million tourists in the year 2020.
Nepal is also making huge investment in infrastructure development, including hospitality sector, transport and airport facilities, which will be instrumental to enhancing the tourism sector further.