Twelve companies monitor the country's restaurant sector. In most of the cases, the restaurant owners are suffering from lack of coordination, unwanted interference and hassle.
The Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association demanded to bring the restaurants under one organization by forming a committee immediately. The demand was made at a press conference at the Nasrul Hamid Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters' Unity on Thursday.
Imran Hasan, secretary general of the Restaurant Owners' Association, said that the anarchy that has been going on by so many companies for a long time, no one is being held accountable.
“The restaurants should be brought under one monitoring body by forming a committee as soon as possible. Otherwise, we will close our business and hand over the keys of all the restaurants to the deputy commissioner,” he said.
He said that each department sporadically interfered with their unsolicited intervention. When an official arrives, he gets angry with the restaurant owners. Without any experts they ruin businesses threatening with fine. They seem to be eager to fine the restaurant.
Imran Hasan said, “About 95 percent of the workers in our sector are unskilled, poorly educated. They need to be trained first.
Give us SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) as a complete guideline. The quality of food can never be improved without cooperation. Fine or handcuffs are not the answer.”
Fearing the situation in Ramadan, the Secretary General said, “We will be extremely vigilant to ensure the safety of food items for‘Iftar’, ‘Sehri’ and other food items. Even then, the mobile courts of different organizations will be threatening us. Wherever there are restaurants, they will be fined.”
The sector was most affected by the pandemic. Even then, no incentive or helpwas given.
Osman Gani, president of the Restaurant Owners' Association, said, "When we make a mistake, correct it. Give time to run everything properly.We want to do business properly without harassment.”
The first joint secretary general of the organization FirozAlamSumon said, "We are not against the mobile court, however they must be used logically. The mobile court approaches withthe mentality to fine.
