Bangladesh building first community-based agro-tourism village
Project combining farming, tourism and renewable energy aims to create rural jobs, boost farmers’ incomes and diversify Bangladesh’s tourism sector
DHAKA, Bangladesh (MNTV) — Bangladesh has begun construction of its first community-based agro-tourism village, an initiative designed to combine agricultural production with tourism, create rural employment and open new income opportunities for farmers.
The project, known as Sukher Khamar Agro Village, is being developed on 10 acres of land in Bogura district, about 12 kilometers from Bogura city in northern Bangladesh.
Developed by Sukher Khamar Agro Limited, the village will integrate commercial farming, livestock production, renewable energy and recreational facilities, allowing visitors to experience rural agricultural life while supporting local economic activities.
Agro-tourism is a form of tourism that connects visitors with working farms and agricultural communities. Tourists can participate in farming activities, learn about food production, experience rural traditions and purchase locally produced goods.
The concept offers farmers opportunities to earn additional income beyond conventional agriculture while creating demand for accommodation, food services, transportation and other rural businesses.
In Bangladesh, where agriculture remains a major source of employment and livelihood, the model could help diversify rural economies and reduce farmers’ dependence on traditional agricultural income.
The Bogura development will feature a 100-room resort, restaurant, convention hall, swimming pool and boating facilities alongside agricultural operations.
Its farming infrastructure will include a facility capable of accommodating 400 cattle, fish farming operations and partnerships with 105 agricultural production entities.
The project also incorporates renewable energy infrastructure, including a one-megawatt solar power plant and a biogas facility, potentially reducing dependence on conventional energy sources while utilizing agricultural waste.
A madrasa, or Islamic educational institution, is also planned within the development.
According to the company, the initiative seeks to help farmers obtain fair prices for their produce by connecting agricultural production with tourism-related markets and commercial partnerships.
The company said its existing activities have already generated approximately 10 million Bangladeshi taka ($82,000) in economic activity in a nearby village and created 41 direct jobs.
The project is financed through a Sharia-compliant musharaka partnership structure, an Islamic financing arrangement in which investors contribute capital and share profits according to agreed terms, while losses are generally distributed according to capital contributions.
More than 1,000 investors from 21 countries and 42 districts of Bangladesh have joined the initiative, according to the developer.
The investment model could offer an alternative approach to financing rural development by pooling resources from domestic and international investors without relying on interest-based lending.
Sukher Khamar Agro Limited plans to replicate the model across Bangladesh, targeting eight agro-tourism villages in the country’s eight administrative divisions by 2035.
If successfully implemented, the initiative could establish a new model for connecting agriculture, sustainable tourism and community-based economic development in rural Bangladesh.
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