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Regional News
The Bangladesh Caterers Association (BCA), UK Ltd. has been playing a vital role in promoting a ateral relation between Bangladesh and Great Britain since its inception in 1960. The Association is now roud to represent approximately 12,000 Bangladeshi restaurants and takeaways employing over 85 ousand employees with a turnover of £3.5 billion.
The Bangladesh Caterers Association (BCA), UK Ltd. has been playing a vital role in promoting a ateral relation between Bangladesh and Great Britain since its inception in 1960. The Association is now roud to represent approximately 12,000 Bangladeshi restaurants and takeaways employing over 85 ousand employees with a turnover of £3.5 billion.
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Community News
The Bangladesh Caterers Association (BCA), UK Ltd. has been playing a vital role in promoting a ateral relation between Bangladesh and Great Britain since its inception in 1960. The Association is now roud to represent approximately 12,000 Bangladeshi restaurants and takeaways employing over 85 ousand employees with a turnover of £3.5 billion.
The Bangladesh Caterers Association (BCA), UK Ltd. has been playing a vital role in promoting a ateral relation between Bangladesh and Great Britain since its inception in 1960. The Association is now roud to represent approximately 12,000 Bangladeshi restaurants and takeaways employing over 85 ousand employees with a turnover of £3.5 billion.
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BCA President Mr Bajloor Rashid meets Mr Stephen Timms MP, Financial Secretary To HM Treasury
BCA President Mr Bajloor Rashid made a call-on at the invitation of Rt Hon’ble Mr Stephen Timms MP, Financial Secretary To HM Treasury. This was a follow up meeting after the BCA Annual Dinner & Award ceremony held on 16th November 2008 where Mr Timms was the chief guest. BCA President Mr Bajloor Rashid was aided by BCA leader Mr Goyas Miah, community activist Ms Rohema Meah and BCA Programme Director Sheikh Ahmed Mr Stephen Timms MP was aided by his Advisor Mr Graham Dale.
After exchange of pleasantries Mr Bajloor Rashid thanked Mr Stephen for being present at the BCA Event at Hilton Parklane. He then gave a brief description on the activities of BCA. Mr Rashid said Times have not been easy for London restaurants in recent months as the credit crisis and a deepening recession have hit everyone, from ordinary city workers to highly paid bankers. He further added that Curry industry is a British industry and it is serving the interest of British economy by contributing 3.5 billion annually and employing 100,000 workers directly. BCA surveys showed that there was a vacancy of 30,000 skilled workers in the restaurants owned by the Bangladeshi restaurateurs.
Mr Rashid explained to the Secretary the ordeal being faced by average restaurateurs in the day to running of their kitchens due to the acute shortage of staff. He said that curry industry was a skill-based industry and it required certain passion for the job. Mr Rashid thanked the UK govt for the inclusion of Skilled Chef in the Shortage Occupation List. But it was of little worth as the corresponding pre-conditions made it difficult to bring workers from outside UK using SOL list.
Mr Timms explained his govt's position on emphasising the need for training for creating a pool of skilled workers locally. Govt’s training funds have been almost doubled in recent months.Ms Rohema Meah added that BCA was always willing to recruit from within UK, but there is no facility here wherefrom trained curry-cooks could be produced. It was true there was no dearth of hospitality training institutes here but there was hardly any single institute that was exclusively focused on the need of curry restaurants.She further pointed that to increase the employability of the home grown British Bangladeshis and to increase their level of expertise, BCA was planning to establish a curry training institute in UK, preferably in East London.
Mr Sheikh Ahmed said that BCA restaurants prepare curry according to the taste of its British customers and hence BCA knows what exact skills to be imparted in the trainee chefs and cooks. A curry institute run by BCA could help train the skilled staff according to the demand and standard of UK market. All BCA needed was the required moral and financial support from the UK govt.
Mr Bajloor Rashid said that BCA already prepared a Project Concept Paper on the proposed London School of Curry and wished that Mr Timms helped BCA in managing funds from Govt’s training grants
Mr Timms listened to the BCA leaders very attentively and passionately. He appreciated the idea of London School of Curry and shared that he had already enquired with his colleagues at DIUS to find out a way so that ethnic food groups such as Chinese, Bangladeshi, Thai, Indian and Pakistanis could use a facility to train their respective chefs and cooks.Then he asked his adviser Mr Graham Dale to look into the PCP presented by BCA and liaison between BCA and DIUS regarding the project.
Agreed points:
- Stephen Timms’ office and BCA will continue to liaise closely
- Mr Timms will consider the PCP submitted by BCA President in the meeting especially establishing a Curry institute in the UK.
- Mr Graham Dale, the adviser to Mr Stephen Timms would inform BCA about DIUS views on the issue.
- Mr Graham Dale will introduce BCA project to Mr David McHattie, the chief executive of National Skills Academy and would inform BCA the outcome.
The meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere and BCA leaders were very much pleased by the attention given to the British Bangladeshi community by the secretary’s office. The meeting ended with a photo session. |
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