The Bangladesh Restaurant Owners' Association (BROA) has formally requested government permission to allow limited, highly regulated imports of commercial beef in a bid to stabilize procurement costs and cushion hospitality operators from severe inflationary pressures.
Speaking at a press conference held at Fars Hotel & Resorts in Purana Paltan, Dhaka on Saturday (October 3, 2026), BROA Secretary General Imran Hasan explained that local beef prices currently range between BDT 800 and BDT 1,000 per kilogram, making it increasingly unfeasible for mid-tier and small-scale eateries to maintain standard portions and food quality. Hasan noted that local meat purchases often contain disproportionate ratios of bone and fat, compounding financial losses. Highlighting that five-star hotels and specialized establishments already hold import privileges, BROA urged authorities to extend conditional import facilities to general restaurant operators under strict Food Safety Authority supervision. The leadership noted that high cattle feed costs and syndicate markups have burdened domestic marginal farmers, necessitating international sourcing to lower retail meal prices for consumers.
The import proposal forms a key element of BROA's broader 9-point demand charter presented alongside BROA President Shah Sultan Khokhan. The charter addresses systemic trade hurdles—including a 30 percent decline in overall restaurant sales—and calls for one-stop licensing, the removal of 10% supplementary duty and 2% source tax, an end to arbitrary mobile court fines, and formal implementation of industrial status for the restaurant sector.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Staff Reporter • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
