Covid-19 places Sylhet restaurant businesses in dire straits | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Wednesday
May 28, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2025
Covid-19 places Sylhet restaurant businesses in dire straits

Economy

Sylhet Correspondent
19 July, 2020, 12:00 pm
Last modified: 19 July, 2020, 01:50 pm

Related News

  • BSF pushes 394 individuals in 20 days thru Sylhet, adjacent borders
  • BSF pushes 21 people into Bangladesh thru Sylhet border
  • Heavy rain floods parts of Sylhet city, tourist hotspot Jaflong
  • Sylhet sees surplus of sacrificial animals ahead of Eid-ul-Adha
  • BSF pushes another 16, including 2 children, into Bangladesh thru Sylhet border

Covid-19 places Sylhet restaurant businesses in dire straits

At least a dozen restaurateurs have closed or sold their businesses after incurring losses following the four-month shutdown due to Covid-19

Sylhet Correspondent
19 July, 2020, 12:00 pm
Last modified: 19 July, 2020, 01:50 pm

Abdul Qadir, a recent university graduate, opened a restaurant named Atithi, in South Surma of Sylhet, last year. His business had been doing well, but now it has been closed for four months due to Covid-19 and he needs to pay rent, utility bills and the staff's salaries.

"In these four months, I've lost almost all my capital. The cost of running a restaurant in compliance with hygiene rules will also increase. Even if the restaurant is allowed to open, the chances of doing business are very slim. As a result, I have decided to sell the restaurant," he said.

Not only Abdul Qadir, but many others have decided to close their restaurants as they have incurred losses due to Covid-19 crisis. At least a dozen restaurants have already closed or been sold.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Restaurants – like Spice Chicken, Buffet House, Doctors Cafe, Fat Belly and Calorie Height – in the Kumarpara, Nayasarak, Zindabazar and Medical Road areas of the city have closed down.

There has been a trend of launching restaurant businesses in Sylhet over the years – which continued until the Covid-19 outbreak. In the last five years, 200 restaurants were set up in different parts of the city. In total, there are more than 500 restaurants in Sylhet.

The restaurants sold Chinese, Thai and fast food – among other varieties. Other types of restaurants sold local food in open air dining facilities with huge amounts of space.

The restaurants are not getting customers, even after reopening, as tourists have stopped coming and educational institutions are also closed due to Covid-19. Additionally, Covid-19 has also reduced the trend of going out with the family.

Most of the restaurants in Sylhet opened through competition. There was competition to reduce food prices to attract customers. For this, many did good business but failed to make profit. They are now in trouble.

Manzoor Ahmed, business partner of Ethiopia, said, "People are not coming to restaurants. As soon as the restaurants open, employees must be paid salaries. If there is no business, how will I pay salaries? This is why we decided to keep the restaurant closed for now."

Divya Jyoti Shi, a private university student in Sylhet, with a few friends, opened a restaurant called Royal Dine. Divya said, "I took capital from my family to run a restaurant. It is no longer possible to make new investments. Like me, young entrepreneurs are in dire straits because of Covid-19."

During a visit, this correspondent saw that Pansi, a restaurant at Zindabazar which was once always crowded with customers, is almost empty.  There is no such rush of customers as before. Just a few customers are having lunch at the restaurant.

Jahangir Alam, an employee of the restaurant, said customer numbers are very low as tourists have stopped coming plus colleges and universities are shut.  Moreover, office-goers are now afraid to eat at restaurants.

During the shutdown, home delivery service was in full swing at several restaurants. However, the traders did not benefit from the take-away system as it is not popular in Sylhet.

Shahiraj Chowdhury, owner of Madgrill restaurant, said, "Despite restaurant closures, we had a take-away system operating during the shutdown. However, people here were not interested in it. So, it was impossible to sustain a restaurant with a take-away system and meet the expenses of the business."

Aminul Islam Farhan, an owner of Karagar restaurant, said before Covid-19 there was business of Tk30,000 to Tk35,000 per day, now there is not more than Tk5,000.

There are two organisations of restaurants in Sylhet. Bengali food restaurants belong to the Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association while the Sylhet District Caterers Group is an organisation of fast food restaurants.

Shanto Dev, president of the district caterers group, said, "We have to run the restaurant in compliance with the hygiene rules. We are accommodating 50 people in a restaurant that has a capacity of 100.  As a result management costs have increased a lot. However, the price of food cannot be increased."

He said, "This sector was most affected by Covid-19 but we are not getting any incentives. When contacted, the banks say there is no instruction to give incentives to the restaurant category."

 "We have about 300 restaurants of our type in Sylhet. Many restaurants are being sold."

"Half of the restaurant workers have lost their jobs as most entrepreneurs do not have the means to pay their salaries," Shanto, managing director of Spicy, said.

Md Nuruzzaman Siddiqui, general secretary of the Sylhet unit of the Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association, said, "We  have submitted a memorandum to the Sylhet Deputy Commissioner seeking incentives. However, no decision has been made about this yet. We have also written to the concerned department for a waiver of Value Added Tax. We have yet to receive a response to this."

Top News / Covid-19 in Bangladesh

Sylhet / Restaurant businesses / Covid -19 in Bangladesh / Economic Impact of Coronavirus / Coronavirus impact / Economic Effect of Covid-19 / Effect of Coronavirus / Covid-19 effect / Effects of Coronavirus / Coronavirus in Bangladesh

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Leaders and activists of BNP gather at Nayapaltan ahead of the rally of three BNP affiliated organisations on Wednesday, 28 May 2025. Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS
    Start preparing to ensure election is held within December: Tarique issues instructions at youth rally
  • File Photo: Reuters
    Bangladeshi cos expecting increased costs due to tariffs, yet extremely optimistic about int'l growth: HSBC survey
  • Photo: Collected
    HC overturns graft convictions of Tarique, Zubaida

MOST VIEWED

  • Google Pay. Photo: Collected
    Google Pay likely coming to Bangladesh soon
  • Graphics: TBS
    Suspicious banking activities surge by 56% since July: Cenbank
  • Representational image of cable car/Freepik
    Cable car to be installed from Himchari to Reju Khal in Marine Drive Road
  • Illustration: TBS
    Bangladesh sees highest-ever per capita income of $2,820 in FY25, BBS provisional data shows
  • IFIC Bank receives Tk6,000 cr in new deposits in six months
    IFIC Bank receives Tk6,000 cr in new deposits in six months
  • Abdul Awal Mintoo, chairman of National Bank Limited. Sketch: TBS
    'Regulatory support must for National Bank to restore depositors' confidence'

Related News

  • BSF pushes 394 individuals in 20 days thru Sylhet, adjacent borders
  • BSF pushes 21 people into Bangladesh thru Sylhet border
  • Heavy rain floods parts of Sylhet city, tourist hotspot Jaflong
  • Sylhet sees surplus of sacrificial animals ahead of Eid-ul-Adha
  • BSF pushes another 16, including 2 children, into Bangladesh thru Sylhet border

Features

In recent years, the Gor-e-Shaheed Eidgah has emerged as a strong contender for the crown of the biggest Eid congregation in the country, having hosted 600,000 worshippers in 2017. Photo: TBS

Gor-e-Shaheed Boro Maath: The heart of Dinajpur

1d | Panorama
The Hili Land Port, officially opened in 1997 but with trade roots stretching back to before Partition, has grown into a cornerstone of bilateral commerce.

Dhaka-Delhi tensions ripple across Hili’s markets and livelihoods

2d | Panorama
Photo: Collected

Desk goals: Affordable ways to elevate your study setup

3d | Brands
Built on a diamond-type frame, the Hornet 2.0 is agile but grounded. PHOTO: Asif Chowdhury

Honda Hornet 2.0: Same spirit, upgraded sting

3d | Wheels

More Videos from TBS

Google Pay likely coming to Bangladesh soon

Google Pay likely coming to Bangladesh soon

13m | TBS Programs
Poor documentation, evidence plague stolen asset recovery efforts

Poor documentation, evidence plague stolen asset recovery efforts

1h | TBS Insight
Donald Trump warns Vladimir Putin he is 'playing with fire' over Ukraine

Donald Trump warns Vladimir Putin he is 'playing with fire' over Ukraine

2h | TBS World
Families of those injured and martyred in the July coup protest in the capital

Families of those injured and martyred in the July coup protest in the capital

2h | TBS Today
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net