Bangabandhu conference centre to get new operator
State-owned Bangladesh Services Ltd (BSL) is likely to become the management operator of Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the capital.
The BSL will sign an agreement this month with the Public Works Department (PWD) under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, owner of the convention centre, said a BSL official preferring anonymity.
The deal will initially be effective for 10 years.
The BSL that also owns Ruposhi Bangla Hotel will pay revenue worth Tk 28 crore in the first year and Tk 33 crore in the second year to the PWD. The revenue will increase by Tk 5 crore each year.
A section of 400 permanent BSL employees who work for Ruposhi Bangla Hotel will be responsible to manage the centre.
“We have the expertise and a proven track record in managing an international brand like Sheraton. So we are the most deserving name that can manage a convention centre like BICC,” said the BSL official.
Earlier in February, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) signed a deal to take over the operations and management of Ruposhi Bangla.
In the next two years, the hotel will undergo extensive facelifts and then will be handed over to IHG for a period of 30 years.
InterContinental ran the state-owned hotel from 1966 to 1983. Sheraton took over its operations and management in 1983, and its tenure ended on December 2008. Sheraton, however, had to continue operations until April 30, 2011.
Starwood, the owning company of Sheraton, gave BSL a conditional extension offer to terminate all hotel employees during renovation in 2009. The government agency disagreed with the condition, and took over the hotel's operations under the new banner of Ruposhi Bangla.
The BICC is the only convention centre in the country that hosts different local and international events, including fairs, festivals, seminars, political events and weddings, and earns around Tk 4 crore a month.
In 2005, the BICC was privatised and awarded to Agrabad Accom - Consortium Limited, an Orion Group company.
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