Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have announced a comprehensive partnership to develop sustainable tourism, with a strategic focus on creating joint Buddhist pilgrimage circuits and promoting eco-friendly travel, according to a Buddhistdoor Global (BDG) report.

The initiative was formalized during a recent high-level meeting in Colombo, where officials agreed on projects centered around green investment and shared cultural promotion.

According to the BDG report, the discussions were led by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, with Secretary Aruni Ranaraja emphasizing a shared commitment to a sustainable future through responsible tourism. The talks outlined joint efforts to develop green tourism, tea heritage routes, and Buddhist pilgrimage circuits.

Tourists climb the stairs of Rangkut Monastery, the oldest Buddhist monastery in Bangladesh, located in Ramu, Cox’s Bazar/ Collcted 

Green tourism, focusing on ecological preservation, will be the core of the cooperation. Sri Lanka, an established destination that welcomed over two million visitors in 2024, offered to help Bangladesh develop its own eco-tourism model. Bangladesh, home to the UNESCO-listed Sundarbans mangrove forest and the world's longest natural beach at Cox's Bazar, currently sees fewer than 700,000 international tourists annually a figure official hope this partnership will help boost significantly.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tourism Cooperation is expected to be finalized soon, providing a formal framework for investment, marketing, and infrastructure development.

In an official statement noted by BDG, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “Recognizing the significant role that tourism plays in economies of the two countries, Sri Lanka expressed its interest in collaborating with Bangladesh on developing Green Tourism. Bangladesh welcomed Sri Lanka’s proposal and also proposed to develop joint tourism initiatives, including Tea and Buddhist tourism circuits and to finalize the MoU on Tourism Cooperation.”

The report highlights two major initiatives. The first is a Buddhist tourism circuit connecting sacred sites in Sri Lanka, such as Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth and the Dambulla Cave Temple, with Bangladesh’s ancient monastic centers at Paharpur and Naogaon.

The second initiative involves a shared tea heritage route, linking Sri Lanka’s famed Ceylon tea regions with Bangladesh’s tea estates in Sylhet and the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Discussions also covered improving regional connectivity, including a potential direct shipping route between Chattogram, Bangladesh, and Colombo, Sri Lanka, which would bolster both tourism and trade under the BIMSTEC framework.

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