The apex trade body yesterday urged the government to suspend the ongoing drive against commercial structures in residential neighborhoods and sit with the stakeholders to find a permanentsolution.

Abdul Matlub Ahmad, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, made the call at a roundtable at the FBCCI auditorium in Dhaka.

FBCCI will also form a high-powered panel that will help the government find a permanent solution, he said. However, Ahmad, who moderated the roundtable, did not disclose the names of the panel members.

Hotel Guesthouse and Restaurants Owners'

Association of Bangladesh (HGROAB) and Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh jointly organised the discussion on the economic impact of the current eviction drive against hospitality establishments and other business entities in Dhaka city and its adverse effect on tourism industry.

Presenting a keynote paper, MH Rahman, adviser of HGROAB, said some 500 boutique and budget hotels, guesthouses and restaurants have been established in the capital with an investment of around Tk 5,000 crore, creating employment for around 1 lakh people.

Some 3,000 foreign guests stay in the hotels and guesthouses and take their meals in the restaurants, he said, adding that the eviction drive will send a negative message to them.

Some rules may have been breached during the construction of the commercial structures, he said.

"But the government should not go for eviction. Steps should be taken by keeping the hotels and restaurants in place."

Rashed Khan Menon, civil aviation minister, said the eviction drive is not a new thing. "The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting last year."

In a meeting in January, the owners of commercial structures agreed that the government's decision will be implemented in phases, he said.

"However, I still believe that it is possible to avoid the conflict between the commercial structure owners and the government. The solution is possible through discussions." Some 350 hotels, guesthouses and restaurants are there in Gulshan and Banani areas.

The hospitality industry with an investment of around Tk 525 crore in these areas created employment for thousands of people, said Syed Nasim Manzur, president of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"The government drive may hurt the employment in the hospitality industry," he said.Banks provided loans to many hotels, guesthouses and restaurants located in Gulshan, Banani and Dhanmondi areas, said Syed Mahbubur Rahman, managing director of Dhaka Bank.

If these constructions are evicted, the owners will become loan defaulters, which will leave a negative impact on the financial sector, he said. The government should focus on making the city livable first, not on creating a smart city, said Khondaker Golam Moazzem, additional research director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue. "The government should not do anything, which may send negative messages to the foreigners."