Tk 25 Million in Unpaid Food Bills Linked to Sheikh Hasina’s Office and Residence

A state-owned catering service has been left with unpaid bills totaling around Tk 25 million after supplying food to the official office and residence of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was removed from power following a mass uprising. The arrears remain unsettled, and the current interim government has declined to assume responsibility for the dues, creating uncertainty over recovery of the funds.

The outstanding payments are owed to Hotel Obokash, a government-run establishment operated by the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC). According to officials, Hotel Obokash had regularly provided meals to Sheikh Hasina’s official office and residence, Ganabhaban, under a formal contract. While some bills were paid periodically, a portion of payments remained outstanding.

After the Hasina government was ousted in August 2024 amid widespread student-led protests, the supplier stopped receiving payments for the accumulated dues. Since then, Hotel Obokash has sent multiple letters to the Chief Adviser’s Office seeking payment, but the arrears have remained unpaid for over a year and a half.

A senior BPC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the interim government has made it clear that it does not intend to cover liabilities incurred during the previous administration. “We have written several times to the Chief Adviser’s Office, but they are unwilling to take responsibility for the former government’s outstanding bills,” the official said.

Dues Also Pending Under the Current Administration

Sources also confirmed that Hotel Obokash continues to supply food to the current Chief Adviser’s Office and official residence, Jamuna. For these services as well, unpaid bills have accumulated—amounting to approximately Tk 3.5 million.

When asked about the matter, Mohammad Abdul Wadud Chowdhury, Director General (Administration) at the Chief Adviser’s Office, said the issue should be discussed directly with the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation or Hotel Obokash. “We regularly clear such bills. There may be some running invoices pending, but this is part of an ongoing process,” he said.

What the Official Letters Say

According to letters sent by the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, the total unpaid amount owed to Hotel Obokash for food supplies during both the former Sheikh Hasina administration and the current interim government stands at approximately Tk 28.92 million.

Of this amount, bills worth about Tk 25.45 million were submitted to the administration wing of the former Prime Minister’s Office for services rendered to Ganabhaban. In addition, between August 2024 and January 2025, Hotel Obokash supplied food and related items worth around Tk 3.47 million to the Chief Adviser’s Office and residence based on official requisitions. Despite timely submission of invoices, these amounts remain unpaid.

The letters warn that failure to recover the dues has pushed Hotel Obokash into a financial crunch. Cash flow shortages have delayed staff salaries and payments to suppliers. Several vendors have reportedly refused to continue deliveries due to unpaid bills, making it increasingly difficult for the hotel to maintain uninterrupted food supply to government offices.

Official Response From Parjatan Corporation

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation Chairperson Sayema Shahin Sultana acknowledged the existence of unpaid bills. However, she said recovering the dues falls under the responsibility of Hotel Obokash’s management.

“Under regulations, we cannot provide services on credit to private entities. But government institutions are allowed such arrangements following proper procedures,” she said. “Some bills are currently under process. We have written to the relevant offices before and will do so again if necessary.”

New Contract Despite Old Dues

Despite the outstanding payments, BPC signed a new agreement in 2025 with the Chief Adviser’s Office. Under the contract, Hotel Obokash is responsible for supplying daily refreshments and catering for official events at the Chief Adviser’s Office and residence for one year starting from August.

As per the agreement, Hotel Obokash supplies 460 food items at fixed prices. These include bakery products such as dry cakes and biscuits; local and imported fruits like oranges, mandarins, wax apples, Burmese grapes, and hog plums; traditional sweets including chamcham, rasmalai, yogurt, laddus, rosogolla, and baklava; as well as essential grocery items such as spices, ghee, and lentils.

A Longstanding Arrangement

An official familiar with the process said Hotel Obokash has been supplying food to the Prime Minister’s Office and official residence since at least the era of Hussain Muhammad Ershad, and possibly earlier. Under the previous administration, the hotel handled both cooking and procurement of food items. Under the current interim government, its role is limited to supplying food and related materials.

The official noted that during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, political meetings and gatherings were frequent at Ganabhaban and the Prime Minister’s Office, often requiring meals for large numbers of people on a daily basis. This significantly contributed to the higher volume of unpaid bills from that period.

A senior Hotel Obokash official added that catering contracts are renewed annually. During Sheikh Hasina’s time, the hotel supplied around 173 different food and supply items. Currently, 460 items are delivered at fixed rates. “We use our own funds to procure these goods,” the official said. “Bills are submitted quarterly, and payments are usually made in stages—but the delays have now become severe.”