BAPA seeks permission to allow 50pc visitors in parks

Staff Correspondent:Mankind around the world has been helpless from the Coronavirus for more than a year. For a long time, the tourism and entertainment sector has been playing a major role in the development of the country by providing huge revenue to the government including income tax, VAT and other taxes.
The government has decided to close down the amusement parks for a long time due to the 1st stage of the Coronavirus infection in 2020. The companies have suffered huge financial losses.
However, due to humanitarian reasons, the salaries of the workers and employees of the amusement parks have been paid on time.
As a result of the second phase of the 2021 Coronavirus infections rises, all the amusement parks in the country have been closed down since last April as per the government decision. As a result, the sector is once again suffering financially and rides and equipment are being disrupted due to prolonged shutdowns.
Due to the closure of amusement parks for almost 2 years, the sector is in dire straits and in many cases, it is not possible to pay salaries and allowances to the workers.
According to the decision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, life and livelihood should go hand in hand, but it is with great sadness that comparing to the other unregulated tourist spots there is no government announcement regarding the amusement park sector. Therefore, all the entrepreneurs, employees and staffs involved in this sector are very worried and helpless. We fear how we will pay our employees in the very near future.
As other sectors are governed by health regulations, similarly the Bangladesh Tourism Board will follow S.O.P and the BAPA president seeking permission to allow 50% of visitors to operate the park. In addition, open-air environments are less likely to be infected with viruses than in confined spaces. Since parks are located over large areas, it is possible to avoid Coronavirus infections by ensuring social distance. Although the ban on other sector has been normalized, no decision has been made on the amusement park sector. Although maintaining the social distance in the parks and the health rules are very easy.
The President of Bangladesh Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (BAAPA) Mr. Shahriar Kamal has kindly requested the Government to open the amusement parks on August 11 at the end of the ongoing lockdown