Mohammad Juman Chowdhury, owner of Elham Travel Corporation, filed a High Court petition on Thursday seeking suspension of the government's Travel Agency Registration and Control Ordinance 2026.

Petition argues several provisions exceed legal limits and violate constitutional rights. Ordinance published on 1st January prohibits travel agencies from buying or selling tickets to each other and allows registration suspension without hearings.

New rules mandate TK 10 lakh security deposit and impose higher fines with jail terms. Ordinance also bars recruitment agencies from operating at travel agency addresses. Ten travel agency owners authorized Chowdhury through power of attorney to challenge these provisions.

Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh has demanded the ordinance's cancellation, warning that nearly 5 thousand travel agencies nationwide could face closure if enforced. ATAB leaders said passengers would lose access to ticket purchases from affected agencies.

Critical concern involves the requirement for agencies to submit annual sales statements showing TK 50 lakh in transactions to renew registration. Many agencies cannot meet this threshold, potentially forcing widespread shutdowns across the country.

Ordinance permits authorities to suspend travel agency registration without conducting hearings, which petitioners argue violates due process rights. Higher penalties including imprisonment represent significant escalation from previous regulations governing the sector.

Travel industry stakeholders fear the new rules will devastate small and medium-sized agencies that form the backbone of Bangladesh's travel services network. Petition seeks both cancellation of contested provisions and stay on the ordinance's gazette notification pending court review.