Architect Mustafa Khalid, who ran a restaurant personally, closed it to prevent criticism

  • Raju Ahmed, Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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Photo: barta24.com

Photo: barta24.com

The country is saddened by the tragedy of Bailey Road in the capital. Even though a few days have passed since the incident, the discussion has not yet subsided. After the terrible fire, the administration is also shaken. The discussion is about unauthorized restaurants in different areas of the capital. The operation is going on. Many have been closed-sealed.

After the Bailey Road tragedy, a statement by Mustafa Khalid Palash, the architect of Green Cozy Cottage, came to the fore. Besides, his explosive comments on the Facebook post about the Gausia Twin Peak building in Dhanmondi designed by him caused a storm on social media. He clearly opposed various restaurants.

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However, despite opposing other restaurants in the media, this architect himself used to run a rooftop restaurant called Tagore Terrace in Banani. Who was looked after by his brother Shimul Mustafa. Not just in spelling. There is talk of Mustafa Khalid running a restaurant in Dhanmondi too.

Reporter of Team Barta24.com searched for Tagore Terrace restaurant with the information given by the complaint and sources. Our reporter went to Banani and found the truth of the allegations. However, no information about the restaurant in Dhanmondi was found.

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This famous architect used to run a restaurant called Tagore Terrace on the rooftop of the 11th floor building No. 44, Road No. 12, Banani. However, after coming to the discussion, the authorities were trying to erase the existence of the restaurant from there. And that picture was caught on the camera of Barta24.com.

On Tuesday (March 5), when the customer went to the restaurant in building number 44 of Banani, the scene of hastily removing all the equipment including the furniture of Tagore Terrace was seen on the ground floor of the building. The used microwave and cooking equipment of Tagore Terrace was taken to a destination unknown to us in a truck.

The rest of the equipment is also being lowered using the lift. At that time, if you want to go to Tagore Terrace, the people present said that it is closed. They said, can't go up. Some of them said, there is no restaurant above.

The reporter was forced to leave the building somewhat unprepared. The name and banner written outside Tagore's terrace are being removed to prove that the restaurant was not there later. After this scene, if you go to the 11th floor using the elevator of the building to get more information, you will find the real information about the restaurant.

Architect Mustafa Khalid Palash was running a restaurant there since 2018 without Rajuk's approval. Former Culture minister Asaduzzaman Noor inaugurated the restaurant on November 4 of that year. At that time, the news of the opening ceremony of Tagore Terrace was widely circulated in the media.

However, after the Bailey Road tragedy, when the debate turned towards him by commenting on the restaurant in various buildings, architect Mustafa Khalid Palash stopped the operation of the restaurant from last night to hide the information about the unauthorized restaurant of Rajuk. On March 5, the work of removing the name of the restaurant and removing the furniture from the outside floor guide of the building number 12 road began. The interior of the restaurant has already been emptied. They removed furniture and cooking equipment.

Architect Mustafa Khalid Palash called several times on the phone to talk to him, but he did not receive. However, he spoke with his brother Shimul Mustafa, who is in charge of the restaurant.

Admitting that he had been running a restaurant in the non-commercial area of Banani for a long time, he said, "We were running the restaurant with the stay order of the court. If there was no approval, could I run the restaurant for so many years?

When asked why it is being closed if there is approval, Shimul Mustafa said, we are closing it to make everyone aware. Running a restaurant in non-commercial areas is not allowed. So the initiative is to raise awareness. There is no other reason.

On the other hand, by running a restaurant and opposing other restaurants, a lot of discussion has been born in different circles. Many are writing on social media against Mustafa Khalid Palash. Some have also demanded justice in the Facebook post.

Ahsan Anwar, a member of the Gausia Twin Peak Building Owners Association, said that Mustafa Khalid Palash himself ran an unauthorized restaurant. He himself became a criminal and destroyed the entire restaurant sector of Bangladesh through a post. Eid ahead, our employees are looking at our faces. Loan us so much money. I don't know what to do. But we strongly demand an investigation, and if he has done anything wrong, we demand punishment.