Travel sector leaders warned that country’s newly promulgated Travel Agency Registration and Control Ordinance 2026 could force over 5 thousand agencies to shut down unless the government repeals the ‘anti-business’ law.

On Sunday’s press conference at National Press Club, former president of Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) Manzur Morshed Mahbub criticized the ordinance, calling it a ‘black ordinance’ that threatens industry survival. Gazette was published on January 1.

He highlighted that clause (kha) of sub-section (umo) of section 4 now prohibits buying and selling of airline tickets between travel agencies. Out of around 5 thousand 800 registered agencies nationwide, only about 800 hold International Air Transport Association (IATA) membership.

"The remaining nearly 5,000 agencies lack the capacity to issue tickets independently," Morshed Mahbub said. Agencies unable to source tickets from others cannot serve passengers or meet the mandatory annual sales turnover of TK 50 lakh required for license renewal.

ATAB Members' Welfare Unity Alliance Convener Mohammad Jalal Uddin Tipu criticized another provision requiring offline agencies to submit bank guarantees of TK 10 lakh. Thousands of agencies have failed to secure IATA membership due to financial constraints and cannot meet this new requirement.

Leaders opposed a proposed ban on operating recruiting agencies at the same address as travel agencies, warning this would increase costs for outbound migrant workers who rely on combined services.

Speakers expressed grave concern over section 9, which empowers government to suspend registration certificates without prior hearing. They said such authority exercised without due process could lead to harassment and severe financial losses.

Leaders also criticized increased penalties under section 11, raising imprisonment from six months to one year and fines from TK 3 lakh to TK 10 lakh. They urged government to retain earlier penalty structure, warning that livelihoods of 5,000 agency owners, employees and families face destruction.