Atab members demand removal of Tk10 lakh security deposit, B2B ban from proposed ordinance
An Atab delegation announced plans to submit a memorandum to the relevant ministry seeking urgent amendments to the proposed ordinance
Members of the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (Atab) formed a human chain in Dhaka's Nayapaltan area demanding amendments to the proposed Bangladesh Travel Agency (Registration and Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.
The demonstration, organised by general members of the association, highlighted two specific provisions - the mandatory Tk10 lakh security deposit and the proposed restriction on Business-to-Business (B2B) services - which speakers described as "the most damaging" for the travel sector.
Speakers said the proposal to require a mandatory Tk10 lakh security deposit would effectively push small and medium-sized travel agencies out of the market, according to a press release.
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Former Atab general secretary Afsia Jannat Saleh said thousands of small travel agencies across the country operate with limited capital.
"If they are forced to provide a Tk10 lakh deposit, these businesses will neither be able to renew their licences nor continue operating. Many entrepreneurs will lose motivation, and a vast number of jobs will be at risk," she said.
Referring to the B2B service restriction, she added, "The proposal to prohibit B2B operations, meaning one agency issuing tickets or providing services to another, will create severe disruption across the industry."
An Atab delegation announced plans to submit a memorandum to the relevant ministry seeking urgent amendments to the proposed ordinance.
Speakers noted that the B2B model has been a backbone of the sector for years, with smaller agencies conducting business by issuing tickets through the larger ones. Breaking this chain, they said, would leave thousands of entrepreneurs without viable operations and deprive consumers of essential services.
Imposing such restrictions will push the industry into crisis and could reduce government revenue
Former Atab president Abdus Salam Aref said, "If these provisions are implemented, it will lead to job losses, increased operational costs, and hinder the genuine development of the sector.
"The travel sector plays a major role in earning foreign currency. Imposing such restrictions will push the industry into crisis and could reduce government revenue," he added.
Atab leaders urged the interim government to engage in dialogue and reconsider the draft law.
"Only entrepreneur-friendly, practical, and technology-oriented legislation can move the country's travel industry forward, not rigid conditions," they said.
