প্রশ্ন ও সমাধান

(1)
Tourism is an important sector of the national economy of Bangladesh, providing jobs and income to thousands of people. However, the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 dealt it a severe blow. To stop the spread of the virus, the government imposed a general holiday and lockdowns, closed educational institutions and limited public gatherings. Air, road and rail travel was disrupted, and hotels, resorts, restaurants, transport services and tourist spots had to shut down or work with very few customers. As a result, tour operators, guides, hotel staff, transport workers and small shopkeepers near tourist areas lost their income. Cox's Bazar, Sundarbans, Sylhet and Saint Martin, which usually attract large crowds, remained almost empty for months. The loss of foreign tourists also reduced foreign exchange earnings. After restrictions were eased, domestic tourism began to revive slowly, with strict health rules such as wearing masks, maintaining social distance and sanitising hands. Thus, although the sector was badly hit, careful planning, vaccination and awareness have helped it to recover step by step.