Bangladesh's Flight Expert shuts down amid allegations of massive financial scam

Flight Expert, a prominent online travel agency in Bangladesh, has ceased operations, leaving thousands of customers and partner agencies in distress. 

The company’s website became inaccessible on August 2, and its customer service lines are disconnected, fueling fears of a massive financial scam, according to Dhaka-based The Daily Star.

Flight Expert, launched in 2016 as Bangladesh’s first full-fledged online travel agency, was known for competitive pricing and services like flight bookings, hotel reservations, and visa processing. 

Reports indicate that the managing director, Salman Bin Rashid Shah Sayeem, and his father, MA Rashid Shah Shamrat, chairman of parent company Makkah Group, have fled to Canada, allegedly embezzling crores of taka from customers and businesses.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested three senior executives — Sakib Hossain, Sayeed Ahmed, and AKM Shahadat Hossain — following a fraud case filed by travel agent Bipul Sarker, alleging misappropriation of Tk 40 million ($328,098). 

Bangladesh Post reported that the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) has revoked its membership of Flight Expert, adding that its CEO has fled the country after abruptly shutting down operations.

ATAB told local media that Sayeem (also spelled "Sayem"), allegedly locked the company’s office, disabled its website, and left the country on August 2, leaving customers, travel agents, and stakeholders in financial uncertainty.

During a Sunday night emergency meeting, ATAB’s Executive Committee didn’t hold back. 

They recommended kicking Flight Expert out of the club, freezing all refunds for its sold tickets (to stop more travellers from getting burned), and giving banks a heads-up to curb its excessive discount campaigns offered through credit cards.

Preliminary estimates suggest the total embezzlement could reach up to Tk6,000 crore ($492,227.70). 

Customers, including those who booked flights, tours, visas, and Hajj packages, are now unable to access tickets or secure refunds. 

Shahidul Islam, a customer, reported losing Tk 1.2 lakh ($984.4) on a Hajj package for his parents.

Despite its reputation, recent months saw delayed ticket confirmations and unresponsive customer service, hinting at underlying issues. 

The company’s last Facebook post, promoting Hajj-2026 packages, showed no signs of trouble, deepening the shock for customers.

The Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) has criticised the unsustainable practices of online travel agencies, urging stricter government oversight. 

The incident follows similar scams by agencies like Haltrip and 24tkt.com, raising concerns about the online travel industry’s stability. 

Social media is flooded with outrage, with customers and agents demanding justice. As investigations continue, the fallout has left Bangladesh’s travel sector grappling with uncertainty, calls for reform and stricter regulations.