TBT DESK: The Ministry of Commerce has dissolved the Executive Committee of the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB), citing alleged failure to operate the organization properly. Additionally, Motakabbir Ahmed, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, has been appointed as the administrator of ATAB. This decision has shocked ATAB members, who claim that the reasons cited in the official order are false, fabricated, and baseless.

In a statement signed by ATAB Secretary General Afsia Jannat Saleh on Monday, the organization expressed its strong protest against the Ministry’s actions.

The statement clarified that the current ATAB committee was elected through a legitimate voting process, not through any illegal means. It alleged that there is a deep-rooted conspiracy and administrative maneuvering behind the dissolution of the committee.

It further stated that the allegations of embezzlement of shareholders’ funds through the “ATAB Online” platform are entirely false and baseless. The relevant ministry has already been provided with evidence disproving these claims. However, the authorities have deliberately ignored the documentation. In fact, the incident involving ATAB Online did not even occur during the tenure of the current committee.

The statement also rejected the mention of a so-called human chain protest in the Ministry’s order, calling it staged and fabricated. According to ATAB, other than 1/2 person no genuine members of the association were present at that protest, which was orchestrated solely to defame the current committee. The organization claims to possess photographic and video evidence of this staged event.

Furthermore, the ministry's order refers to a group named "ATAB Sangskar Parishad" (ATAB Reform Council), which ATAB describes as a fake and unregistered entity. Among the 4,000 travel agents in Bangladesh, only a handful are behind the creation of this so-called reform council for their personal gain. Taking complaints from such a dubious entity seriously has raised even more suspicion among ATAB members.

The Ministry of Commerce, in a circular issued by its Trade Organization-2 wing on Monday (August 4), stated that, based on the application from ATAB Sangskar Parishad and in the interest of proper management of ATAB’s activities, the government has dissolved the executive committee and appointed an administrator.

According to the circular, the newly appointed administrator has been tasked with updating the voter list and organizing a free and fair election within the next 120 days. After the election, the administrator is to hand over responsibilities to the newly elected committee and inform the Ministry of Commerce accordingly.