BAAPA seeks permission to reopen amusement parks before Eid

Bangladesh Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (BAAPA) has sought permission from the ministry concerned to reopen recreational parks and amusement centres ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. 

The association also requested the government to include the entertainment and tourism sector in the incentive package if announced in the future, read a press statement today, signed by BAAPA Media Coordinator M Mahfuzur Rahman.

In the statement, BAAPA said that Eid is the business season for the amusement parks and tourist centers. At this time, the parks and recreation centers remained full of visitors. 

Other industries, markets, and public transport reopened as per government decision, after remaining stalled for a few weeks. But the tourism industry is still closed. If the amusement parks are not opened now like other business establishments, it will be almost impossible for these establishments to survive.

It continued that there is a lot of investment and bank loans in the entertainment and tourism sector. The collapse of the sector, which has been closed for a long time due to lockdown, has led to the risk of losing a large part of the owners of the company. 

If this sector remains closed, it will not be possible to pay the salaries and allowances of all the concerned officers and employees on time and many officers and employees will be dismissed. 

At the same time, the livelihood of millions of families directly and indirectly involved in this will become more difficult day by day. 

It further mentioned that though the government announced incentives for the sectors affected by the lockdown last year, the tourism industry and amusement parks were not included in the incentive packages.

Therefore, the association requested the government to include the sector in incentive packages and immediately open the parks like other sectors a few days before Eid in compliance with the highest health rules announced by the government.