DHAKA: It will be a pleasant surprise for tourists who will arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in city on Saturday on the occasion of World Tourism Day.

Sources told banglanews that Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation and Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) have jointly taken the initiative to celebrate the upcoming World Tourism Day on September 27 in a befitting manner.

In this plan, the tourists, including foreigners, on that day will be greeted with flowers after their arriving in city.

BTB chief executive officer AKhtaruzzaman Khan Kabir told media at a press conference at the board office on Monday.

He said the board has also another plan to highlight Paharpur Buddhist Temple, a UNESCO designated world heritage site in the country.

He added that the government has another exclusive plan to declare a specific ‘tourist year’ and the authorities concerns are working to design a roadmap in this regard.

On the other hand, tourism ministry additional secretary Abu Hena Mohammad Rohmatul Munim said a total of 600,000 tourists visited Bangladesh in 2012.

He added: “Bangladesh has plans to increase the number of foreign tourists in the upcoming years as well as to increase domestic tourists.”

However, the board and corporation will also arrange rallies, seminars, fairs and talk-shows along with decorating the city ahead of the World Tourism Day.

BDST: 1814 HRS, SEP 22, 2014