Buyers’ Forum, a platform for global apparel retailers, has postponed its monthly meeting for security concerns.
The meeting was scheduled to be held today with manufacturers in the city.
Meanwhile, some RMG buyers have postponed their visit to Bangladesh to place orders while some urged manufacturers to meet them abroad to talk business and to ink further deals.
Requesting not to be named, a buyer representative told the Dhaka Tribune, “The meeting has been postponed following a request form majority of brand representatives who were concerned over security.”
The forum leaders informed BGMEA that their respective head offices asked them not to assemble due to security risks following the killing of two foreigners.
After the murder of Tavella, an Italian aid worker, on Monday night in the capital, a Japanese national Kunio Hoshi was also shot dead in a village of northern Rangpur on Sunday. The two back-to-back killings raised questions about the security of foreign nationals here.
BGMEA senior Vice-President Faruque Hassan told the Dhaka Tribune, being directed by their respective head offices, the forum leaders suspended today’s meeting, citing security concerns.
He added that some buyers deferred their visits until a later date and some urged manufacturers to meet them in their own country for negotiation of new work orders.
“As soon as possible, we will schedule a new date for the meeting. The two unexpected incidents do not mean that the buyer representatives are insecure here.”
The government will ensure tight security for them, said the BGMEA leader.
The Buyer’s Forum meeting is a regular meeting held in the first Monday of every month when all development and concerns, present situation and other related issues are discussed broadly.
There are 65 buyer offices in Bangladesh and their representatives negotiate business issues.