Khairul Islam
The authorities of Ruposhi Bangla (RB) Hotel is set to invite international tender next month for the renovation work of the country's first five-star hotel amid strong opposition from the hotel's employees and officials, sources said.
"There is every possibility to float tender by early June", an official at the hotel said preferring anonymity. The authorities also acknowledged completion of the necessary process to undertake 16-month major renovation work.
"As per the agreement with the InterContinental Hotel Group, the authorities got necessary approval from the ministry concerned, eventually from Prime Minster Sheikh Hasina to revamp the country's largest hotel", General Manager (GM) James P McDonald said.
Talking to the FE, Mr McDonald said according to the agreement, Bangladesh Services Limited (BSL), owning company of the hotel, decided to bring about major changes including integration of more luxurious suites and state-of-art services for the guests.
Earlier, BSL signed a management agreement with the world's largest and leading chain hotel group IHG to operate the hotel for next 30 years. Upon the completion of the renovation programme, the hotel will be rebranded as InterContinental Dhaka.
The BSL will invest about $43 million, of which Agrani Bank Limited will finance the major portion to upgrade the hotel's existing suites and services, Mr McDonald said.
Hong Kong- based project management company 'InProjects' will oversee the multi-million dollar renovation, he said adding that design of the luxurious hotel has already been prepared.
The official said during the entire renovation programme, the hotel will require complete closure to achieve most cost-effective and speedy completion of the work.
"Upon completion of the renovation work, the hotel along with more luxurious amenities will be reopened to the guests from early 2016", Mr McDonald said.
The GM said as the world is moving fast, the demand for luxurious suites and services have been increasing. Unfortunately, all of the hotel's existing amenities are very outdated.
"To survive in the market competition, the hotel needs upgradation of its facilities in line with the demands of time", Mr McDonald said adding that the size of the existing rooms is very small compared to the world class hotels.
He said the renovation work will include remodelling of the existing hotel suits, luxurious 40sqm guest room instead of existing 26sqm, construction of specialty and theme restaurants and relocation of swimming pool, health club and spa along with other modern facilities.
In addition, the existing cooking system will be replaced with state-of-art kitchen equipment to lift the existing standards of the hotel up to the level of the InterContinental.
According the new plan, the existing structural design will remain unchanged. The number of the guest rooms will decrease to 226 from the existing 272 rooms.
Meanwhile, the officials and employees of the five-star hotel have strongly opposed the renovation programme what they termed a conspiracy to give 'permanent farewell' to the country's renowned and profit-making hotel.
They also expressed apprehension of mass job termination and sought intervention of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to stop the project immediately.
"There is possibility of large-scale corruption during the project implementation", said Ruposhi Bangla Hotel Sramik-O-Karmachari Union President Md Shafiuddin.
The union leader noted that around 19 international consultancy firms have been deployed keeping local skilled companies at bay. This will be drainage of the foreign currency, he said.
Mr Shafiuddin told the FE that some unscrupulous people might have misguided the prime minister over the issue to make money from the project and occupy the costly land of the hotel.
However, the union leader is in favour of the renovation work keeping all regular services of the hotel open. "Earlier, the hotel had been renovated two times, in 1986 and 1992, without closing its regular services," he added.
He also expressed serious concern about the project deadline saying that the authorities will not be able to complete the renovation work within the stipulated timeframe.
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