The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism on Sunday urged travellers to verify whether a travel agency is registered and holds a valid licence before purchasing air tickets or tour packages, aiming to prevent fraud and human trafficking-related scams.
The notice was issued on Sunday after media reports about UK sanctions on a Bangladeshi travel agency over alleged human trafficking to Russia drew the ministry’s attention.
The ministry said the agency linked to the allegations is Drean Home Travels, not Dream Home Travels and Tours Limited, a separate agency with a similar name that was misidentified in several media reports.
Although the two agencies have similar names, the licence of Dream Home Travels and Tours Limited remains valid until March 2027, while the licence of Drean Home Travels expired in April 2021.
In an emergency notice issued from the Secretariat, the ministry advised travellers to check the status of agencies through the Travel Agency Management System to avoid financial losses and harassment.
The ministry warned that many agencies are operating without registration or continuing business despite having expired licences.
According to the notice, several such agencies have recently been accused of fraud and customer harassment.
Under the Bangladesh Travel Agency Registration and Control Act, 2013, operating a travel agency without valid registration or failing to renew its licence on time is illegal.
The ministry therefore requested travellers to verify any agency’s registration and renewal status through the government’s Travel Agency Management System before making payments for tickets or tour packages.
