The Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) has revoked the membership of Flight Expert, a major online travel agency, after its CEO allegedly fled the country following an abrupt shutdown of operations.

In a statement, ATAB said CEO Salman Bin Rashid Shah Sayem locked the company’s office, deactivated its website, and left Bangladesh on 2 August, leaving customers, agents, and partners in financial limbo.

Following an emergency meeting, the association cancelled Flight Expert’s membership, suspended refunds for tickets issued by the agency, and urged banks to refrain from supporting aggressive discount campaigns. ATAB also pledged legal and administrative support to affected members.

Warning of continued risks in the absence of regulation, ATAB called on the government to finalise and enforce guidelines for online travel agencies (OTAs). “We urge the government to implement OTA guidelines to safeguard the industry,” said ATAB Secretary General Afsia Jannat Saleh.

Launched in 2017, Flight Expert quickly rose to prominence with its user-friendly platform, flexible payment options, and heavily discounted tickets. But the agency reportedly adopted unsustainable pricing strategies, selling tickets below market rates while racking up liabilities.

“This pattern of deep discounting, manipulating market rates, and vanishing with customers’ money is not new,” ATAB said, citing earlier cases involving OTAs like Haltrip, 24ticket.com, and Let’s Fly.

Flight Expert attracted a large customer base through installment plans, mobile financial services, and aggressive marketing, especially targeting budget-conscious and middle-class travelers. However, in recent months, red flags began to appear: delayed ticket confirmations, unresponsive customer service, and failed refund attempts.

ATAB said the company held a bank guarantee worth around Tk50 crore but also bought large ticket volumes from other agencies, deepening its financial exposure. Meanwhile, police have arrested three top officials of Flight Expert – Head of Finance Sakib Hossain, Chief Commercial Officer Sayed Ahmed, and Chief Operating Officer AKM Sadat Hossain.