Harmony Festival begins in Sreemangal to promote cultural tourism

A three-day Harmony Festival showcasing the rich cultural heritage of ethnic communities began in Sreemangal yesterday, aiming to promote sustainable cultural tourism, community-based tourism and local economic development.

Organised by the Bangladesh Tourism Board, the colourful festival features traditional food, handicrafts, lifestyle exhibits and cultural performances of ethnic communities.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam inaugurated the festival at Fulchhara Tea Garden grounds in Sreemangal.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, is working to take the country's tourism sector forward through employment generation and promotion of ethnic tourism.

"We are formulating plans to develop ethnic tourism and create employment opportunities in the tourism sector," she said.

Responding to demands from local communities, Afroza said the government would work towards establishing an Ethnic Cultural Academy to preserve and promote indigenous cultural heritage.

She also announced plans to expand Sylhet Airport to attract more foreign tourists, saying the government aims to showcase Sylhet as a premier tourism destination on the global stage.

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat said the government's election manifesto places special emphasis on balanced regional development through community-based tourism, ethnic tourism and water tourism.

The festival has been organised to revive and sustainably preserve the diverse and endangered cultural traditions of small ethnic communities, he said.

He hoped the festival would help introduce the unique traditions, customs and products of ethnic communities to both domestic and international visitors while contributing to sustainable tourism development.

Local lawmakers Naser Rahman and Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism Fahmida Akhtar and senior local administration officials attended the function.

Harmony Festival Season-2 features 27 stalls representing ethnic communities, displaying locally produced goods, traditional foods, clothing, ornaments, hunting tools and other cultural artefacts.