Restaurateurs threaten nationwide shutdown over 'harassment'

The Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association has threatened to shut down restaurants across the country if "harassment and extortion" by the government's various institutions in the name of crackdown over safety measures are not stopped immediately.

If necessary, all restaurants will be closed indefinitely in the future, warned leaders of the association during a press briefing at the Dhaka Reporters Unity in the capital's Segunbagicha today.

Imran Hasan, general secretary of the association, alleged that there had been no pause in the arrest of workers and the crackdown on restaurants even during Ramadan, resulting in a decline in customer footfall, which was further worsened due to negative publicity.

After a recent incident of fire at a Bailey Road building that housed a number of restaurants, various threats, including closure, are being issued by different government institutions, he said, adding that they are extorting money through such threats. 

Imran Hasan said in order to protect the interests of restaurant owners, a human chain will be formed on Wednesday. If the problem is not resolved, a symbolic one-day shutdown of all restaurants across the country will be taken, he said.

"Memorandums will also be submitted to the prime minister simultaneously. If the issue remains unresolved, a nationwide restaurant closure programme will be observed for one day as a protest. If necessary, all restaurants will be closed gradually for an indefinite period in the future," he said.

Imran Hasan said, "According to government regulations, any commercial establishment must provide at least 6-month notice before closing down. By bypassing this notice requirement, restaurants are being shut down unlawfully."

He also said, "We know that restaurants can operate in commercial spaces. Rajuk has encouraged mixed-use of buildings by businessmen until 2022-2025."

Due to the complexity of government procedures, obtaining a licence is time-consuming and complicated, Imran Hasan said, adding that the licensing process is made difficult, often requiring unethical means to obtain it. 

The Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association demanded that all restaurants in the country be brought under one authority for licensing. It argued that the documents required for obtaining a licence are unrealistic or impossible to provide.

In response to a question, Imran Hasan said, "Restaurants are being sealed off unreasonably. No documents are being provided for why they are being sealed off. Across the country, 200 restaurants have been sealed off by the government [after the Baily Road fire]."

"It is high time we should be allowed to reopen the closed restaurants so that restaurant workers can be paid their salaries, allowances, and bonuses before Eid," he said.

Calling for an immediate halt to the "injustices" occurring in the restaurant sector, he said, "No benefit can be reaped from these arrests and restaurant closures, if there is no proper guidance for crisis management in critical situations."

According to data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, there are over 481,000 restaurants across the country, employing 30 lakh workers. Nearly 2 crore people are directly or indirectly dependent on the sector. 

The BBS data also shows the restaurant industry in Bangladesh is valued at $3.79 billion, with investments totalling Tk2,00,000 crore.

On 29 February, 46 people were killed in a devastating fire at Green Cozy Cottage building on Bailey Road in the capital. Since then, various government agencies have been conducting drives in various restaurants.