Travel Tech Transparency: Ministry Urges Online Verification to Thwart Fraud and Trafficking

The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has urged the public to obtain services only through registered and licensed travel agencies to prevent human trafficking and travel-related fraud. At the same time, the ministry has called for completing registration and renewal processes online through the Travel Agency Management System.

The information was disclosed in a press release issued from the Bangladesh Secretariat on 10 May, Sunday.

The release stated that, under the Bangladesh Travel Agency Registration and Control Act-2013, registration of travel agencies is mandatory. Accordingly, all activities related to registration and renewal must be completed online through the Travel Agency Management System under the Bangladesh Travel Agency Registration Authority.

The ministry noted that operating a travel agency business without registration or without renewal within the stipulated timeframe is illegal. However, it has recently been observed that many establishments are continuing operations even after their registration has expired or without any registration at all. Complaints have also been received against such entities for fraud and harassment of customers.

In this context, the ministry has strongly requested the public to refrain from engaging in any financial transactions related to air travel, ticket purchases, or tour packages with unregistered or expired travel agencies.

The press release further advised that, before purchasing any ticket or tour package, customers should verify whether a travel agency is registered and whether its license remains valid through the Travel Agency Management System. This measure will help protect travelers from financial loss and the risk of fraud.

The ministry also reported that confusion has recently arisen regarding an agency involved in human trafficking. The agency in question is named ‘Dream Home Travels’, which is not the same as ‘Dream Home Travels and Tours Limited’. Verification revealed that the travel agency certificate of ‘Dream Home Travels’ expired on 3 April 2021.

The press release mentioned that the issue first came to the ministry’s attention following a report titled “Eight Bangladeshis in War in Russia,” published in Daily Kaler Kantho on 28 January. Subsequently, a recent report titled “Human Trafficking to Russia: UK Sanctions on a Bangladeshi Travel Agency” prompted the ministry to issue a renewed warning on the matter.

DBTech/SM/MUM/OR