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Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam on Sunday called for greater community participation in development projects, saying aviation and tourism initiatives should be designed in an integrated manner to deliver sustainable benefits for local people and the national economy.
She made the remarks while chairing a review meeting on ongoing development projects and proposed new schemes included in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) 2026-27 under agencies of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism. The meeting was held at the ministry’s conference room at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
Highlighting the importance of coordinated planning, the minister said development projects should not be conceived or implemented in isolation but should complement one another to maximise their economic and social impact.
“Development projects must support each other so that their overall benefits can be fully realised,” she said.
Afroza placed particular emphasis on involving local communities in projects implemented in their areas, saying meaningful public participation would help ensure long-term sustainability and greater ownership of development initiatives.
She instructed officials to maintain close engagement with local stakeholders throughout the planning and implementation process, especially in tourism projects where community involvement is critical to preserving local culture and ensuring inclusive economic growth.
The minister also directed authorities to carefully assess the feasibility, economic viability and future growth potential of all proposed projects, in line with the policy directives of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
She urged implementing agencies to become more proactive in executing development schemes and ensure that ongoing projects are completed within the stipulated timeframe, warning that delays often increase costs and reduce public benefits.
State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat stressed the need to align development initiatives with the electoral commitments of the incumbent government.
He also advocated greater reliance on the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to finance major development projects instead of depending solely on government funds.
“We should try to implement projects under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model instead of relying on direct government financing,” Millat said.
He added that every development initiative should ultimately improve people’s lives and contribute to building a more prosperous Bangladesh.
“We have to ensure that the people of the country can enjoy the benefits of a transformed Bangladesh through our development projects,” he said.
State Minister for Planning Md Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki also attended the meeting.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, the Planning Ministry and other implementing agencies participated in the review session, which assessed the progress of ongoing projects and discussed priorities for the current fiscal year’s development programme.