Chefs, staff members bewildered by restaurant raids

As raids on restaurants in the capital intensified following the Bailey Road fire that killed 46 people, the staffers, including chefs of the eateries, are in panic and worried about their livelihood.

On Tuesday alone, the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) sealed off four restaurants in Bailey Road area over fire safety issues.

Also, a building housing several restaurants in the capital’s Khilgaon area was sealed off on Tuesday on the same grounds. 

Twenty-two restaurants in Dhanmondi were sealed off on Monday during raids jointly by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), the Fire Service and Civil Defence, the Dhaka South City Corporation and the police.

Additionally, at least 92 staffers of 66 restaurants and hotels were detained in separate raids in the capital’s Kamrangirchar, Mohammahpur and Wari areas between Monday night and Tuesday noon.

Visiting the Dhanmondi restaurant premises on Tuesday, this correspondent found scores of staff members waiting there. The restaurants were not only their workplace, many would even eat and stay there for free.

Most of them have the same question in common: what to do now?

Aminul Islam Akash, an employee of the Crush Station restaurant, which is now shut down, said: “I would run my family of seven through my income.”  

A postgraduate student, Akash added: “My employer is unreachable. I have no idea when I’ll be paid. I’m running short of money.”

Expressing similar frustration and concern, Mominul Islam, a staff member of another restaurant in the area, said: “Our employer used to provide us with food and accommodation. Some of my colleagues would stay together.

“But yesterday’s (Monday) closure of our restaurant put us in deep trouble. As we’re yet to be paid last month’s salary, life’s getting tougher for us.

“Where do we go, and what do we do now?”  

During Monday’s raids, the police detained a waiter from a restaurant named “Swadeshi” as the manager was not there.

A chef of one of the restaurants sealed off, preferring anonymity, said: “I’d urge the administration to give their owners time till Ramadan."

“If they fail to conform with the mandatory fire safety standards even after that, I think the government can take a hard line against non-compliance.”

The ongoing raids were propelled by the deaths of 46 people from a devastating fire in a Bailey Road facility with several upscale restaurants on Thursday night. A lack of fire exits and scattered gas cylinders on different floors of the building were blamed for the deaths.

On the back of the tragedy, the police and various agencies have started raids in different buildings in Dhaka to check fire safety measures.

Drives are also underway against the capital’s illegal restaurants.