Sylhet is long regarded as one of Bangladesh’s most promising tourism regions because of its scenic landscape, natural beauty and historical significance.
However, the district is struggling to unlock its full potential as development remains stuck in a cycle of unimplemented master plans.
Tourism-related businesses claim that visitor numbers to Sylhet have fallen by nearly half due largely to persistent transport woes, while a lack of coordination among stakeholders continues to deepen the crisis.
Despite these challenges, authorities have repeatedly opted for new master plans rather than implementing existing ones, leaving much of the sector trapped in policy paralysis.
Around five years ago, the Bangladesh Tourism Board prepared a nationwide tourism master plan, identifying Sylhet as a high-potential region.
Under the board’s earlier master plan, Sylhet was divided into four tourism clusters—Sylhet, Habiganj, Sreemangal and Tanguar Haor in Sunamganj.
The plan proposed bringing 78 additional locations across four districts, 41 upazilas and one city corporation under formal tourism development.
However, no effective steps were taken to implement the plan, nor has the board shown visible initiative to protect existing tourism centres in the region.
After the interim government assumed office, the board reviewed the draft plan, but officials say it remains confined to files, with no visible action on the ground.
Tourism stakeholders say this growing pile-up of plans, without implementation, has effectively stalled the sector’s progress in Sylhet.
They argue that unless concrete steps are taken to execute these blueprints, the region’s tourism industry will remain trapped in its traditional, unplanned trajectory.
For years, local residents and tourism operators have been calling for eco-friendly development of these sites to protect fragile ecosystems while improving visitor experience.
Tourism Board Deputy Director for Statistics, Research and Planning Md Mazharul Islam said the master plan was reviewed after the interim government took office.
He said the next decision would come from a meeting of the National Tourism Council, but added that the current situation was not conducive to convening such a meeting, which would be held after a new government is formed.
Meanwhile, amid this stagnation, the Sylhet district administration has announced a new master plan focusing on six major tourist destinations—Bichanakandi, Sada Pathor, Jaflong, Utmachhara, Lalakhal and Ratargul.
According to officials, the plan outlines modern facilities for visitors, including improved road connectivity, adequate accommodation, health and safety services, sanitation and information centres.
In September, members of a coordination committee conducted field visits as part of the planning process.
The inspection team was led by Additional Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of Water Resources, Dr A N M Bazlur Rashid, who also heads the master plan committee on water resources development.
Experts from environmental science, architecture, urban planning, tourism management and both public and private sectors visited Sadapathor, Jaflong and Bichanakandi.
They collected field-level data on environmental challenges, infrastructure gaps, current conditions of the sites and the living standards of local communities.
However, the Tourism Board said it was not officially informed about the new master plan centred on the six Sylhet tourist destinations.
“This is not something we are aware of,” said Deputy Director Md Mazharul Islam.
Tourism stakeholders believe Sylhet’s tourism industry could reach new heights through infrastructure development, community participation and environmentally responsible policies, but stress that success depends on coordinated planning and firm commitment to implementation.
Tourism Developers Association of Bangladesh Vice-President Mohammad Khatibur Rahman said a tourist returning disappointed from a destination can negatively affect the entire industry.
He said clear rules and guidelines are essential, including defined carrying capacities for tourist spots to protect the environment while ensuring visitor comfort.
“Making master plans alone is not enough; they must be implemented,” he said.
Former president of the Sylhet Hotel and Guest House Owners Group Sumon Noori Chowdhury Jewel said there had previously been a master plan for Sadapathor, and some work had even been inaugurated.
“But we still haven’t seen any visible progress,” he said.
He said stakeholders are consulted during planning stages, but are left in the dark afterwards.
Instead of repeatedly drafting new plans, he suggested starting with a pilot project to identify gaps and needs, which could then guide broader development.
Sylhet Additional Deputy Commissioner Saeeda Parveen said tourist sites were inspected after the master plan was prepared and that some progress had been made.
However, she said changes in officials’ responsibilities have made it difficult to clearly assess how much work has actually been completed so far.
