Staff Reporter :The Ruposhi Bangla Hotel will remain closed for at least 19 months from September 1 this year as the management will go for massive renovation prior to rebranding it for the Inter-Continental chain. Earlier, the management planned to close the hotel from the first of May . The Board of Directors of Bangladesh Services Ltd (BSL), a government owned company took the decision in September last year. The BSL, which operates the hotel, signed an agreement with the Inter-Continental Hotels Group for 30 years in February, 2012, an official source said. Meanwhile, Md Shafiuddin, president of the workers union of the hotel said, ” We are opposed to the decision of total closure of the hotel in the name of massive renovation. Earlier, it was renovated twice keeping the hotel open” he added. The employees numbering about 742 are against the idea of total closure for renovation work out of fear of losing jobs and also loss of other service benefits. Under the banner of Ruposhi Bangla Sramik o Karmachari Union, they have been demanding implementation of the renovation work in phases. The condition of the operator for signing the agreement was total renovation after closure of services, an official source said adding the Sheraton also wanted renovation closing services. But in the face of resistance from employees, it had to go, it should recalled. When contacted an official source said that the management was negotiating with the workers to reach an understanding for settlement of the issue.But McDonald, a representative of Inter-Continental Hotels Group said partial renovation is simply impossible. ” We need to change all fittings and fixtures to turn it into a world-standard one,” he said. The employees will be paid their basic salaries and other benefits during the renovation period, he said adding they have nothing to fear of job cuts. The hotel, another source said, is a profitable concern. It has earned Tk. 1.25 bn in revenues in 2012. McDonald however, declined to disclose the profit sharing between the two parties.
