Dhaka/

Sales in hotels and restaurants have decreased by 30 percent due to the rise in market commodity prices. Action needs to be taken against unscrupulous traders who are destabilizing commodity markets.

Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association made such a demand to the government in a press conference on Saturday. At the same time, the organization has called for effective measures to control the rising prices of all kinds of products including fish, broiler chicken and beef.

Secretary General of the association Imran Hasan read the written statement at the press conference organized at Police Convention Hall of the capital. At that time, the president of the association, Osman Gani, along with the leaders of the executive committee were present.

Imran Hasan said, restaurant businessmen are in crisis. Many restaurants are closing because they cannot survive. There is not much support from the government. Appeal to the government so that unscrupulous traders do not take advantage of political unrest. Also, in the name of the campaign, various organizations do not harass.

The Secretary General of the Restaurant Owners Association also said that the price of beef in Bangladesh is higher than in all neighboring countries. So import of beef should be allowed. Hotel restaurants are being harassed at field level in the name of tax VAT. The city corporation is also being harassed in the name of campaign. Stopping harassment requires cooperation. Broiler prices are increasing, being syndicated, this has to be stopped. The market should be brought to bearable level. Hotel-restaurant sales have decreased by 30 percent.

He also said that many establishments in the restaurant sector which are in crisis are closing down because they cannot survive in business. In this situation, the government needs cooperation in various fields including tax exemption for this sector. Besides, the import of beef should be allowed to control the price of meat. In the press conference, it was also urged not to harass the restaurant businessmen in the name of campaign of various organizations and institutions. On this day, the meeting of the central executive council of the organization was held at the police convention hall.