Cabinet okays law for bringing tour operators under regulations

The cabinet today approved in principle the draft of "The Bangladesh Tour Operators (Registration and Control Act), 2020" to bring the domestic tour operators under regulation for conducting tour operations in a well-planned way for further development of the tourism industry.

The cabinet also approved in principle a draft named "The Bangladesh National Archives Act, 2020."

The approval was given in a regular cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at her office here this morning.

Briefing newsmen at the Bangladesh Secretariat here after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said, "The cabinet today approved 'The Bangladesh Tour Operators (Registration and Control Act), 2020,' to bring the local tour operator under a legal framework aimed at operating the tours in a planned manner to ensure the best services to the tourists."

In accordance with the proposed law, he said a touring company will have to obtain a license, "No company will be allowed to arrange tours without having registration. It will be a punishable offence in case of violation of the law."

He added that the proposed law also has a provision of handing over the mregistration to another tour operator in case of death, physical and financial incapability.

The country's top bureaucrat also said the draft law suggested that criminal acts of the tour operators will be tried under the Code of Criminal Procedure Code 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.

The cabinet secretary said that the cabinet also approved in principle a draft of "The Bangladesh National Archives Act, 2020" keeping a provision of using information technology in preserving the records and documents in the national archive.

"Seven new sections have been added to the proposed law making director general as head of the Directorate of Archives and Libraries, using information technology in all the activities including preservation of the records and documents by the national archives and operating courses to enhance the professional excellence of the employees," he continued.

He added that as per the proposed law, there will be an advisory council (the highest policy making body) of the national archives.

"If the law is enacted, it will be possible to preserve the important records and documents of the government, non-government and autonomous organizations in a proper manner. The proper preservation of the documents will increase the scope of conducting researches on the basis of the documents," he said.

The draft law has suggested three years punishment for the offence of deliberately destroying important records and documents.