‘The Bangladesh Tour Operators and Tour Guides (Registration and Operation) Bill, 2021’ was placed in Parliament on Saturday, making it mandatory for tour operators and guides to get registered.
It was prepared aiming to bring the tour operators under the legal framework for ensuring the best services and thus give a boost to the tourism sector.
State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Mahbub Ali placed the Bill and it was sent to the respective Standing Committee for further scrutiny. The Committee was asked to submit its report within one month.
As per the proposed law, a touring company will have to collect a license. No company will be allowed to operate tours without registration. If anyone does, it would be tried under the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The proposed law also has a provision of handing over the registration to another tour operator in case of death, physical and financial incapability.
The draft law suggested that criminal acts of the tour operators will be tried under the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 aimed at protecting the interest of the tourists.
As proposed, the activities of tour operators, tour guides, general tour guides, cultural guides, nature guides and trekking guides will now be regulated.
Now, there’s no guideline and rule for tour operators in the country.
The conditions for getting registration, period of registration and provisions for cancellation of registration have been mentioned in the bill.
It has precisely been defined in the bill who can be tour operators and tour guides.
Once the bill is passed, it will make tour operators operate properly within legal framework, the tourism sector will flourish, the revenue of government will increase and it will be easier to avail the tour services, the Bill stated in its objective.
