DHAKA, June 7, 2022 (BSS) - Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (Amendment) Bill-2022 has been passed in the Jatiya Sangsad aiming at strengthening the corporation.

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali Thursday moved the bill in the House which was unanimously passed by voice votes with Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. 

The objective of the amendment is to expand the corporation's scope to develop the tourism industry.

While placing the bill Mahbub Ali said that if the law was amended, it would reduce unemployment, create new jobs, increase income and expand the scope of tourism.

The draft law proposes increasing the authorised capital from Tk 150 million to Tk 10 billion and the paid-up capital from Tk 500,000 to Tk 4 billion.

The definition of a tourist has been changed in the draft law. According to the existing law, a person spending more than 24 hours but less than six months away from home for travel or leisure purposes is considered a tourist.

The time has been extended to one year in the draft law. If the person is away for work, he or she will not be termed as a tourist.

Jatiya Party lawmaker Fakhrul Imam opposed the bill in parliament, saying that the existing law has a minimum time limit, which is absent in the draft law. He also raised objections on a few other issues.

The bill states that the tourism corporation will be able to operate and manage duty-free shops.

The existing law stipulates that the board of a corporation may have a maximum of four members. The number has been increased to eleven in the draft law. The chairman of the board will now be the secretary of the ministry.