Kazi Wahidul Alam, editor of the Bangladesh Monitor, and Masud Hussain, managing director of Bengal Tours Ltd, were elected as president and secretary respectively of the newly launched Bangladesh Travel and Tourism Council (BTTC).

The election took place at the first general meeting of the council at the InterContinental Dhaka in the capital on Wednesday, said a press release.

Imran Asif, chief executive officer of Air Astra, and Shakawath Hossain, chief executive officer of Unique Hotel and Resorts, have been elected as vice-presidents of BTTC. Rezwan Maruf, director of sales and marketing of InterContinental Dhaka, was elected as joint secretary while Asif Ahmed, acting general manager of Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka, was elected as the treasurer.

Shahid Hamid, acting managing director of Regency Hotel and Resorts, Nasser Rahman, managing director of Dusai Resorts and Spa, Akhteruzzaman Khan Kabir, former chief executive officer of Bangladesh Tourism Board, Faruq M Ahmed, travel writer, Rubina Hossain, managing director of the Institute of Hotel Management and Hospitality, were included in the committee.

The purpose of the council is to foster the development of the country's travel, tourism and hospitality sectors.

This includes promoting sustainable growth, advocating for policies that support the industry, providing a platform for collaboration and elevating the country's global standing as a premier travel destination in South Asia.

Other members of the newly elected executive committee of BTTC are Mujib U Ahmed, professor of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at the University of Dhaka, Ishtiaquddin Ahmed, former conservator of forests, Basudev Bhattacharya, former principal of the National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, Sadia Haque, co-founder and CEO of ShareTrip, Taufiq Rahman, chief executive officer of Journey Plus, and Syed Ghulam Qadir, chief operating officer of US Bangla Airlines.