Businesses demand post-terror attack Gulshan eviction drive stopped

A call has been made to suspend the eviction drive in Gulshan, claiming that it has put in greater trouble the businesses that have been reeling under by the terror attack on a cafe.

FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmad expressed the concern of traders at a roundtable discussion of several business bodies in Dhaka on Sunday.

The top trade body has promised to resolve problems created by commercial establishments in residential areas.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon suggested the businesses to discuss the measures with the government.

bdnews24.com file photo of recent eviction drive in Gulshan

Capital Dhaka’s development agency RAJUK has strengthened the eviction drive against commercial entities in residential areas after the killings of 22 persons, mostly foreigners, in a siege at a cafe in Gulshan on July 1.

Many hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners are also being evicted in the crackdown.

The Hotel, Guesthouse and Restaurant Owners’ Association of Bangladesh and the Tour Operators’ Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) organised the roundtable at FBCCI’s conference room in Motijheel.  

The tourism-related businesses said in the programme that the foreigners will face a crisis of places to stay if the hotels and motels are evicted, which in turn will hit the economy.

They demanded a suspension of the eviction drive in residential areas like Gulshan and Banani.

TOAB President Taufiq Uddin Ahmed presided over the discussion.

Its Director Taufiq Rahman, the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Hossain Khaled and the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Syed Nasim Manzur were among the attendees.

FBCCI chief Ahmad placed a declaration and a charter of demand before the government.

He said a highly powerful committee led by the FBCCI will be formed to resolve ‘permanently and peacefully’ the problems created by the eviction drive.

Ahmad said the solution ‘will be acceptable to all’ and the guidelines and laws will be amended, if they need be, changed to safeguard the interests of all stakeholders.

Minister Menon said the drive was not something new that started following the militant attack.

“The Cabinet made the decision one and a half years ago. The issue was supposed to be settled one step at a time,” he said.

He claimed many of the discussants had taken part in ‘a meeting on the matter’.

“If these were done before, there would not be a sudden panic over the eviction,” Menon said.

The minister said there was still scope for discussion on the issue.

“I believe it will be possible if you bring the issue up for discussion. There will surely be a solution if you speak to the authorities by forming a committee,” he added.

Menon also said he will hold a meeting with the tourism stakeholders to find ways to overcome the negative impacts of the recent terror attacks on the sector.

Bangladesh Tourism Board CEO Akhtaruzzaman Khan Kabir, Citizens for Good Governance (SHUJAN) Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar, the Centre for Policy Dialogue Researcher Moazzem Hossain, among others, spoke at the programme.