Ministry orders all airlines, travel agencies to introduce special fares for migrants
The ministry also said while booking any type of ticket, including group ticket booking, the booking must be completed with the name of the passenger wishing to travel, passport number and a photocopy of the passport
The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has ordered airlines and travel agencies operating in Bangladesh to introduce special airfares for workers going abroad on work visas.
A circular was issued by the ministry's CA-2 branch in this regard today (11 February).
"Airlines and travel agencies operating flights in Bangladesh will arrange special airfares for workers/employees going abroad on work visas," it says.
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The circular, signed by the ministry's Senior Assistant Secretary Rumana Yasmin, also contains various instructions to ensure that air passengers reach their destinations by paying "actual fare".
The tourism ministry instructed the authorities concerned to stop selling tickets through unregistered travel agencies as per the Bangladesh Travel Agencies (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2013.
As per the circular, while booking any type of ticket, including group ticket booking, the booking must be completed with the name of the passenger wishing to travel, passport number and a photocopy of the passport.
"If the ticket is not issued in the name of the passenger concerned within three days of booking, the airline will automatically cancel the ticket," it reads.
Tickets already blocked through group booking by the airline/travel agency till 11 February must be sold within the next seven days with the name, passport number and copy of the passport of the passenger wishing to travel, the ministry also stated. "Otherwise, the airline concerned will automatically cancel such tickets within the next three days."
In case of group booking, the ministry says the actual selling price of the ticket must be notified to the ministry immediately after the sale and it will publish the price on its website to inform the public.
The ministry circular further states that all types of air tickets must also be sold online and the price of the tickets sold must be displayed online and on the ticket itself.
The ministry further stated in the directives that if the prices of tickets increase due to the sale of air tickets through other agents despite there being no demand or due to the hoarding of excess tickets, the registration certificate of the main travel agency will be suspended/cancelled as per Rule 15 of the Bangladesh Travel Agencies (Registration and Control) Rules, 2022.
