Bangladesh Samity Edinburgh

PRESS RELEASE

SAVE THE CURRY INDUSRTY IN SCOTLAND

To raise awareness on impact of new immigration law to the Bangladeshi restaurant business in Scotland, Bangladesh Samity (Association) Edinburgh holding a demonstration at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, 13 March 2008.

Place : Scottish Parliament, Holyrood, Edinburgh.

Time: 12.00pm – 2.00pm

There is 9,000 curry restaurants employing hundreds thousands staff mostly from Bangladeshi and this industry contributes 3.2 billion to the British economy every year.
Imposing new immigration law from 29th February will create a shortfall of kitchen staff which will severely affect restaurants businesses in Scotland. The staff shortages will restrict the ability of many restaurants to keep open during day time hours. Some owners are planning to serve pre cooked frozen curry rather than preparing fresh dishes. Many restaurateurs are thinking of removing items from the menu due to scarcity of kitchen staff with appropriate ethnic culinary skills. All these coping methods will have negative consequences on the curry industry in the near future.
New immigration law requires academic qualifications to work in restaurants under the ‘’skilled migrant” schemes where working experience and ethnic knowledge is not taken into consideration.
We, from Bangladesh Samity (Association) represent thousands of Bangladeshi families living across Scotland with most of them maintaining their livelihoods by working in the hundreds of curry kitchens.
With due respect to the government’s new immigration policy, which has been introduced in the national interest, we would like to request that the Scottish Government in collaboration with the Home Office finds an initiative that will furnish us with the opportunity to fill our kitchen vacancies with appropriate staff and save the industry. We also ask that action in this area be expedited in order to avoid as soon a financial catastrophe for many Bangladeshi families and businesses.

Note for the editor:

1. Please contact for any press information to Foysol Choudhury MBE, General Secretary, Bangladesh Samity, email: foysolchoudhury@aol.com, Mobile: 07830122778

2. Bangladesh Samity represents the Bangladeshi households living across the Edinburgh and Lothians.

3. It is proposed to hold a demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament at 1200-1500hrs on Thursday, 13^th March 2008.

4. Chefs and restaurateurs will be present dressed in uniform and bearing pots and pans, banners etc to attract attention. Some food samples will be distributed.

5. A appeal will be presented to the First Minister by The Bangladesh Samity Edinburgh

6. A petition is being prepared for presentation at a later date

7. We expect 200+ to attend.

8. We are planning future action to highlight this crisis.