Bangladesh’s Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat said the government will form a joint taskforce with the Culture Ministry to promote cultural tourism. He made the announcement on Monday at an inter-ministerial meeting in the Culture Ministry conference room on linking tourism development with historic structures and archaeological artifacts.

Millat said the government is working to raise tourism’s contribution to gross domestic product to 7–8 percent, describing the sector as inclusive. The two ministries also decided in principle to sign a memorandum of understanding for joint work. After it is signed, they will begin drafting a common policy framework.

Culture Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury said the government wants to preserve and present the country’s millennia-old heritage globally, while developing historic sites with tourism themes in mind. He said there are 554 archaeological institutions that the ministry will inspect gradually before taking development decisions. State Minister for Cultural Affairs Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam proposed promotion of Nazrul Year for foreign arrivals at airports, and the tourism minister said necessary promotional initiatives would be taken.