Bill placed in parliament to register tour operators and guides

A Bill titled "The Bangladesh Tour Operators and Tour Guides (Registration and Operation) Bill, 2021" was placed in parliament today for mandating tour operators and guides to get registered.

The proposed law aims to bring tour operators under the legal framework to ensure the best services and give a boost to the tourism sector.

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry M Mahbub Ali placed the Bill which was sent to the respective parliamentary standing committee for further scrutiny.

The Committee was asked to submit its report within a month.

As per the proposed law, a tour operator company will have to collect a license. No company will be allowed to operate tours without having registration. Violations will be tried under the Code of Criminal Procedure.

According to the bill, there is a provision of handing over the registration to another tour operator in case of death, physical and financial incapability.

The draft law suggests that any criminal acts of the tour operators be tried under the Code of Criminal Procedure Code 1898 which protects 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.

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.