The country's restaurant owners threatened to launch a nationwide movement involving all restaurant owners and workers if the Dhaka South City Corporation did not revoke their notice over roof-top eateries and engage in constructive dialogue.
They also threatened that the actions may include legal actions, road blockades, and nationwide restaurant closures.
On April 28, the DSCC issued a public notice stating that it would cancel the trade licenses of all restaurants operating at some residential and commercial buildings without approval from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha.
Talking to 抖阴精品, Imran Hassan, the president of the Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association, said they strongly condemn and protest this unilateral decision.
鈥榃e have a meeting with the DSCC tomorrow (May 4). We are waiting the decision of the meeting and we will take the further procedures regarding this,鈥� he added.
He also said they had already sent the DSCC a letter to cancel the decision immediately.
鈥榃e demand a prompt, policy-driven solution through mutual understanding,鈥� he added, saying otherwise any unrest may happen in this sector.
According to the BROA, a restaurant entrepreneur must obtain approvals from at least 14 governmental authorities, riddled with bureaucratic challenges and harassment.
However, despite these hurdles, many young entrepreneurs are investing in the restaurant industry, which is growing rapidly鈥攁t a rate of approximately 17 per cent annually.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, there are over 481,000 restaurants across the country, directly employing more than 3 million and earning about $4 billion in revenue.
Imran Hassan also said that the abrupt decision to cancel trade licenses 鈥� without prior notice, stakeholder consultation, or a reasonable deadline 鈥� is reckless, inhumane, and anti-business.
鈥楳any owners have taken bank loans to run their businesses and this sudden move jeopardises their ability to repay those loans,鈥� he added.
In the public notice, DSCC stated that the rooftop restaurants have been set up illegally, posing significant risks to public safety.
The unauthorised restaurants have been involved in incidents leading to casualties and property damage, and many of these establishments obtained trade licenses from the corporation through unethical means, it said.
DSCC also stated that the trade licenses of all unauthorised restaurants and rooftop establishments have been cancelled to avoid risks to lives and property.
They also warned that legal action would be taken if any business continues using cancelled licenses.
There is not any official data on the capital鈥簊 rooftop restaurants. However, BROA said about 200 privately owned rooftop restaurants are in the capital.