Staff Correspondent

“The Bangladesh Tour Operators and Tour Guides (Registration and Operation) Bill, 2021” was placed in parliament yesterday for making it mandatory for the tour operators and guides to get registered.

The proposed law was prepared aiming to bring the tour operators under the legal framework for ensuring the best services and thus give a boost to the tourism sector.

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry M Mahbub Ali placed the bill which was sent to the respective parliamentary standing committee for further scrutiny.

The committee was asked to submit its report by a month.

As per the proposed law, a touring company will have to collect a licence. No company will be allowed to operate tours without having registration. If anyone does, it would be tried under the Code of Criminal Procedure.

According to the bill, there is a provision of handing over the registration to another tour operator in case of death, physical and financial incapability.

As proposed, the activities of tour operators, tour guides, general tour guides, cultural guides, nature guides and trekking guides will now be regulated. Now, there is no guideline and rule for tour operators in the country.

Meanwhile, Child Daycare Centre Bill-2021 was placed in the parliament to support the children of working women.

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nesa placed the bill, which was sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the respective ministry for scrutiny.

The committee was asked to submit its report before the House within two months. The proposed legislation was prepared as the number of working women is increasing.

According to the proposed law, there will be four types of child daycare centres in the country.

Registration will be required to set up child daycare centres and there would be a separate authority for their registration. The Women and Children Affairs Ministry will monitor the daycare centres.

According to the proposed law, the maximum punishment for failure to maintain proper safety and security of children in the daycare centres would be Tk 10 lakh fine.

If anyone runs any child daycare centre without registration, they would be fined Tk 50,000, said the bill.