Restaurant owners yesterday alleged that the government agencies concerned were extorting them in the name of raids following the recent fire at a building on Bailey Road in Dhaka.

"Different agencies are extorting as much money as possible by intimidating the restaurant owners in the name of raids," said Imran Hasan, secretary general of the Bangladesh Restaurant Owners' Association, at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity.

The association organised the event protesting what it said was anarchy created by the government agencies in the restaurant sector since the Bailey Road fire incident.

What Rajuk is doing in the name of safety compliance drives is not acceptable.

— Imran Hasan Secretary General Bangladesh Restaurant Owners' Association

Imran said what the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) is doing in the name of safety compliance drives is not acceptable in any way.

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In pictures: Bailey Road fire

The Rajuk started conducting drives in commercial buildings for fire safety compliance after a fire broke out at Green Cozy Cottage Shopping Mall on Bailey Road on February 29. The fire left 46 people dead.

Since then, 16 restaurants housed in a 14-storey commercial building and 11 eateries in a 15-storey building on Satmasjid Road have been sealed off along with two others on Bailey Road.

Fire Service and Civil Defence officials also closed a five-storey building that housed several restaurants in Khilgaon.

On March 3, police arrested at least 21 people after raiding different restaurants in Dhaka's Gulshan, Dhanmondi and Wari. Among them were restaurant owners and employees.

Hasan said government rules stipulate that a notice has to be issued at least six months before closing any commercial establishment.

"But restaurants are now being shut without any prior notice."

He said restaurants can be set up in commercial spaces. "Rajuk's detailed area plan 2022-2035 has also encouraged businesspeople to make mixed use of buildings."

Obtaining a licence has become a time-consuming and complicated matter because of the complex government system, Hasan said.

"The complex process of obtaining licences force us to have those through dishonest means.

"Why should the businesspeople take the responsibility for the mismanagement of the government agencies? The entire registration system has been made in such a way so that the businesspeople have to face obstacles at every step," the association leader said.

Both those who are extorting money and those who are entertaining the extortionists are criminals, Ashraful Islam, chief town planner (in charge) and spokesperson of Rajuk, told The Daily Star.

"A departmental case will be filed if any complaint of corruption submitted against any particular official is found to be true," he said.

At the press conference, the restaurant owners put forward several demands, including issuing licence after bringing all restaurant-related services under one organisation.

They also recommended forming a high-powered taskforce involving experts to identify high-risk and risky buildings and prepare a standard restaurant operating procedure.

Currently, 4.81 lakh restaurants, including about 25,000 in Dhaka, are operating across the country and they have employed about 30 lakh people, according to Bangladesh Restaurant Owners' Association.