Tangail -AJIYER(4)-

In September, a professor who studies about tourism and his students visited Bangladesh.
To know about community based tourism, they visited AJIYER in Tangail.
I have been there, but visited again with them.

I have introduced activities in AJIYER.
If you are interested in village of Tangail, please check previous articles.
Tangail -AJIYER(1)-
Tangail -AJIYER(2)-
Tangail -AJIYER(3)-

This time, I will introduce some more activities in AJIYER and their vision to promote community based tourism.

Beside activities, we had presentation session from Mr.Shamim, CEO of AJIYER.
Community Based Tourism(CBT) is to develop tourism by community people in a way which gives them benefit.
He thinks the idea should come from community people.
Not Top-Down, but Bottom Up.
Community people are expected to think by themselves how to develop tourism in their village and how they could be involved in.
Mr. Shamim shared this idea with village people and had workshop.
This understanding is very important for receiving tourists.
When I visited villages by AJIYER tour, I felt comfortable with village people.
Environment is getting ready.

One of activities in AJIYER is homestay with Bengali family.
Tourists cook together, help some house work, and have meal together with them.
It could be a very interesting experience.

I think home stay is one of the things foreigner(or let me say Japanese) enjoy because life in Japan and Bangladesh is totally different.
Especially thinking of Bangladeshi village life.
The traditional village life will not be found anywhere in Japan.
 
"Home stay" is one of the best way to experience Bangladeshi life.
I didn't get chance this time, but visited village where tourists stay.

Yes, village seems nothing special.
That is one of the villages which you would find all over the country.

However, village people share the idea of community based tourism and join workshop which AJIYER holds.
AJIYER supports some basic facility for tourists.

One of the rooms tourists may stay.

Restroom.

Do you know what this room is?

Traditional kitchen!
Tourists may help house work together, cook together....and will eat.

I would love to cook together at this kitchen.....I often think I want to help cooking, but usually Bangladeshi don't let me work.
(Once my landlord told me "you are entitled just for eating"!)

It is difficult to explain, but I felt comfortable in the village.
I personally think experiencing village is the best way to enjoy Bangladesh.
However, it is difficult to visit village for tourists.
There, you can experience village, but with basic facility and understanding of village people.
I believe this homestay has possibility.....what do you think?

Mr. Shamim showed us around and explained his vision.
I was impressed by his time-management, caring....he understands how foreigner may think and what is expected.
I expect community based tourism AJIYER leads helps tourism development in Bangladesh!