PM Hasina opens hotel InterContinental Dhaka

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Bangla Tribune Desk
Published : 21:16, Sep 13, 2018 | Updated : 21:35, Sep 13, 2018

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina speaks at inauguration of ‘InterContinental Dhaka` on Thursday (Sept 13). PHOTO/PIDAfter four years of renovations, the InterContinental Dhaka has been formally inaugurated.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday launched the former Ruposhi Bangla hotel.
State-owned Bangladesh Services Limited renovated the hotel spending Tk 6.2 billion. It is a historic hotel for many reasons and it has emerged with its old name, InterContinental Dhaka.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Hasina said it’s a historic hotel.
“Representatives from international media stayed at this hotel in early 1971. After Bangabandhu’s Mar 7 speech, the media gathered here. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto stayed at this hotel and gave the green light to the Mar 25 crackdown from here,” she said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina offers dua after inaugurating hotel Ruposhi Bangla with a new name, ‘InterContinental Dhaka` on Thursday (Sept 13). PHOTO/PIDThe journalists staying at this hotel during then were prevented by the authorities to report the actual fact, said Hasina. “Simon Dring was the only journalist, who managed to get out from the hotel and tell the whole world about the Mar 25 genocide.”
The Inter-Continental Dacca opened in 1966 as the first international five-star hotel in Bangladesh. The InterContinental Dhaka had run this historic hotel till 1983 before Sheraton took it over.
The renovation work was carried out under an agreement signed between BSL and InterContinental Hotels Group (Asia Pacific) Pvt Ltd (IHG) in February 2012.
The InterContinental Hotels Group will run the hotel for 30 years under deal.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits after inaugurating ‘InterContinental Dhaka` on Thursday (Sept 13). PHOTO/PIDThe hotel hosted many important political events in the run-up to the independence of Bangladesh, including negotiations on the transfer of power after the 1970 elections.
During the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, it was declared a neutral zone by the International Red Cross. Many buildings in its surrounding neighbourhoods were targeted by the Pakistani military, including newspaper offices and university halls.

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