'Harassment in the name of crackdown': Restaurant owners allege disarray in fire incident response

Following the devastating fire incident at the Green Cozy Cottage building on Bailey Road that killed 46 people and injured several others, authorities in Dhaka have launched a crackdown on restaurants lacking proper fire safety measures. Restaurant owners, however, are critical of the approach.

The Restaurant Owners Association has labelled these operations as "harassment" and "for show", lacking in coordination.

The operations, according to the association, seem to target the restaurant industry unfairly, calling for a more integrated approach to address safety violations.

Professor Adil Muhammad Khan, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners, criticized the sporadic nature of these operations, arguing for regular and coordinated efforts. He highlighted the injustice in arresting restaurant workers for building faults, suggesting that the responsibility lies with RAJUK (the development authority) officials and building owners before considering the tenants such as restaurant operators.

Imran Hasan, general secretary of the Restaurant Owners Association, expressed the sector's frustrations over the lack of support from any ministry despite repeated pleas. He called for a meeting with the Prime Minister, signaling their readiness to shut down operations if found culpable.

However, he questioned the logic behind blanket closures, arguing for a constructive resolution. Around 200 restaurants in Dhaka have been closed, he said, raising concerns about the crackdown.

Currently, Bangladesh houses approximately 481,000 restaurants, providing employment for 30 lakh people, the general secretary of Restaurant Owners Association said.

He also underlined the struggles with bureaucratic red tape and the desperation for constructive dialogue and solutions. Hasan called for the Prime Minister's intervention, reflecting the dire situation of entrepreneurs and workers within the industry, whose livelihoods are at stake.

The opposition's Chief Whip, Mujibul Haque Chunnu, has also alleged lack of coordination in the drives against risky and unauthorized buildings operating amid fire risk.

"A magistrate went and destroyed a shop. Another goes and says stop. The authorities need to take a concerted, slow and steady approach in conducting fire safety drives," he said while participating in an unscheduled discussion in the Parliament last Tuesday.

RAJUK's Chairman, Anisur Rahman Mia, meanwhile has announced plans to list at-risk buildings, intending to mark them clearly and disconnect utilities in coordination with service providers, emphasizing the need for collaboration among various agencies for effective regulation.

This situation sheds light on the complexities of urban safety, regulatory enforcement, and the livelihoods dependent on sectors like dining, calling for balanced, fair, and coordinated efforts to ensure public safety without unjustly jeopardizing businesses and jobs.