DHAKA, March 16, 2020 (BSS) – 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
registration 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.