The country’s apparel industry leaders urged the government to ensure peaceful environment for the businesses and the opposition to shun violence.
They were speaking at a human chain in front of the BGMEA Bhaban in the city yesterday.
Later, a team led by BGMEA President Atiqul Islam submitted separate memorandums to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday.
The business leaders demanded the government ensure congenial environment to do business, maintain an uninterrupted supply chain of raw materials, providing security to industries and people and bring miscreants to book.
In the memorandum to Khaleda Zia, they urged the opposition to keep all industries free from political programmes like blockade and hartal for the sake of national economy.
People from over 50 garment sector organisations, including Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) joined the human chain.
“If the present deadlock is political, it should be resolved politically. If not, the government should take step to provide adequate security to the industry,” Atiqul Islam said.
He demanded punishment to the miscreants through summary trials. He said the violence is destroying the economy.
BGMEA chief said the country faces image crisis due to political unrest and violence, which leads to lose in export orders. Bangladesh has already experienced 30% decline in orders since the start of the current non-stop blockade programme on 5 January, he added.
“It (garment sector) will become a sick industry. The entrepreneurs will fail to repay bank loans and pay insurance premiums. The situation will also make them unable to pay workers’ wages,” said Atiqul Islam.
BTMA President Tapan Chowdhury stressed the need to stop such politics which “halts the wheel of the country’s economy.”
“We want to be world’s number one RMG exporter,” he added. BKMEA Acting President AH Aslam Sunny urged the political parties to stop political programmes which kill people.
“Ask yourself before hurling a petrol bomb at the innocent people,” he said.
He also urged the government to ensure security to the businesses and the countrymen. “We are businessmen and want to do business in peaceful environment,” said Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Exporters Association of Bangladesh President. He said the government and the opposition must find a political way-out of the ongoing impasse.
FBCCI vice president Md Helal Uddin said the petrol bombs can not be language of democracy. He demanded enactment of law to ban hartal and blockade for next 20 years.
