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TL;DR
- Journalist Saleh Mohammad Rashid Alok was assaulted by Star Kabab staff in Dhaka after complaining about rotten food.
- Alok sustained serious injuries and filed a police case, leading to the arrest of 11 employees.
- Star Kabab’s CEO apologized, and Alok demanded they feed 1,000 orphans as a condition for forgiveness.
- The incident sparked public outrage and calls for improved customer service standards.
In a shocking turn of events at the Banani branch of Star Kabab, a popular restaurant in Dhaka, journalist Saleh Mohammad Rashid Alok was violently assaulted by staff members after protesting the quality of food served. The incident occurred on the afternoon of October 6, 2024, when Alok, the executive editor of Politicsnews24.com, visited the restaurant for lunch with a friend.
Alok reported that he and his friend were served rotten and foul-smelling tikka kebab with their kacchi biryani. When he raised concerns about the food’s quality, the restaurant manager, Md Muslim, dismissed his complaints, stating that the kebab was “like that.” Alok’s continued protest led to a violent attack by 14 to 15 staff members, who allegedly pushed him down the stairs and beat him severely. As a result, Alok suffered multiple injuries, including broken limbs and head trauma, and was admitted to Kurmitola General Hospital for treatment.
A video capturing Alok’s bloodied state went viral on social media, prompting widespread condemnation from media professionals and calls for a boycott of Star Kabab. In response to the incident, Alok filed a case with Banani Police Station. Consequently, 11 employees, including manager Md Muslim, were arrested. Officer-in-Charge Russell Sarwar confirmed that legal actions were underway and that further arrests would be made if additional individuals were implicated.
In an attempt to address the situation, Star Kabab’s CEO, SM Moniruzzaman, issued an apology to Alok. However, Alok stipulated that his forgiveness was contingent upon the restaurant feeding 1,000 orphans as an act of contrition. The restaurant authorities accepted this condition and committed to serving quality food to the orphans by October 15.
Star Kabab also released a public statement expressing regret over the incident and promising not to repeat such actions. They announced that disciplinary measures had been taken against the involved employee.
The incident has sparked significant public outrage and raised questions about customer service standards in restaurants. Many have criticized the violent response to legitimate customer complaints and emphasized the need for establishments to treat patrons with respect and ensure food safety.
