The law enforcers are now conducting raids at the spas following the crackdown on casinos, drawing protest from the hotel owners association.

After Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) sealed off three spa centres at Gulshan, they raided a luxury hotel at Dhaka’s Kawranbazar.

Following the raid, Bangladesh International Hotel Association (BIHA) wrote to the tourism ministry saying that the raid at luxury hotels was not only detrimental to the image but was bound to have a negative effect on tourism of the country, given that most of the guests at those hotels are foreigners.

On Sept 22, RAB raided and sealed off Lifestyle and Health Club, Resident Saloon and Spa and Mango Spa located at Gulshan’s Navana Tower. They arrested 16 women and two men from those establishments, on allegations of prostitution in the name of running a saloon.

Two days after that on Sept 24, joint forces raided the spa facilities at Best Western LaVinci at Kawranbazar. No arrests have been reported in the raid.

On Sunday (Sept 29), the hotel owners association wrote to the civil aviation and tourism ministry and it’s chief HM Hakim Ali personally spoke to the state minister regarding the matter.

Hotel LaVinci Managing Director ATM Saidul Alam said that swimming pool, gym, spa and restaurants are mandatory for any upscale hotel.

“The spas are only a part of luxury hotels. Ninety percent of our guests are foreigners and 25 policemen barging into the hotel has a negative effect,” he said.

Saying that law enforcers can go to the hotel on specific complaints, he added, “The guests might see it differently if a lot of them barge in like this.”

“If there are allegations, the law enforcers can inspect the hotel guided with the staff’s help and take steps if they find proof,” he said.

He added that random raids will have a significantly negative effect on the country’s tourism.

According to sources, the letter to the state minister said that during the joint-forces raid at LaVinci, the law enforcers asked the employees for the spa licence even though the government does not issue separate licences as these facilities are integrated with the hotel’s licence.

It also requested the ministry that raids of this nature are not carried out as these hotels are “operated following the government guidelines under the civil aviation and tourism ministry.”

Confirming the letter and the meeting with BIHA chief, State Minister for Tourism Mahbub Ali said, “Steps will be taken so that the raids don’t affect the tourism sector.”

RAB media wing Assistant Director Mizanur Rahman said, “There is no relation between the casino raids and tourism. RAB is only carrying out raids at the illegal casinos.”

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Deputy Commissioner Masudur Rahman said that raids are not being carried out at all the hotels, and were being conducted based on intelligence reports.