A restaurant in Bahrain’s Adliya has been closed by the authorities after it allegedly denied entry to a veiled woman, The Daily Tribune reported.
The restaurant’s official site mentions that it is an Indian restaurant which has been in business in Bahrain since 1987.
The incident came to light after a video of the restaurant staff blocking a veiled woman was shared multiple times on social media platforms. After this, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) launched a probe into the issue and has asked all tourism outlets to comply with guidelines and avoid policies that violate the law of the kingdom.
“We reject all actions that discriminate against people, especially regarding their national identity,” the BTEA was quoted as saying by the Daily Tribune.
Following the incident, the restaurant put out an apology statement on Instagram, expressing regret for the incident. The restaurant also dismissed the duty manager.
The statement reads,” We have suspended the duty manager based on our investigation. We have been serving our customers from all nationalities living in this beautiful Kingdom for over 35 years now. Ours is a place for everyone to come and enjoy with their families and feel at home.”
“In this instance, a mistake has been made by a manager who has been suspended and this doesn’t represent who we are,” the statement by the restaurant added.
Meanwhile, the authorities said that they will be pursuing legal action. The BTEA also called on the public to report such incidents. The report can be made through National Complaints and Suggestions system Tawasul, or by calling the Consumer Protection Centre on 17007003.
