Rising costs threaten restaurants’ recovery

As restaurants in the country are still reeling from the losses incurred during the long pandemic-induced shutdowns, a sudden rise in commodity prices now threatens to put many of them out of business indefinitely.

“Despite the rise in commodity prices, restaurant meal prices have stayed same, but wages and other costs have risen dramatically,” said Imran Hasan, secretary-general of the Bangladesh Restaurant Owners’ Association during the 34th Central Executive Council at the Institution of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh (IDEB) building in the capital on Saturday.

“Furthermore, with the government considering raising gas and water prices, we have no choice except to shut our businesses,” he added.

In this regard, Imran demanded that the government offer items through TCB (Trading Corporation of Bangladesh), so that restaurant businesses may cut some losses by buying essential commodities at a reasonable price.

While speaking on mobile courts fining their businesses, he implored the government to provide necessary training opportunities for their inexperienced staff in order to enable restaurants to serve quality food to customers.

Among other leaders of the association, President Osman Gani, Joint-Secretary General Firoz Alam Sumon, Organizing Secretary Syed Md Andalib, Treasurer Taufiqul Islam, and former president Ruhul Amin, were present at the meeting.