Let factories run, restore internet

Garment exporters on July 21 demanded that the government keep the sector out of the purview of the ongoing curfew and fast restore internet services for the resumption of production as soon as possible.

Production and shipments are dependent on strict lead times set by international clothing retailers and brands, yet the factories have had to be kept shut for the past three days, they said.

The sector's direct losses for the production suspension during this period amount to around $48 million, according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

The sector is facing the losses at a time when the country's exports have been falling over the last three years.

Leaders of the garment and textile sectors held a meeting at a hotel in the capital's Gulshan and afterwards placed their demands on meeting the principal secretary to the prime minister.

"If necessary, we will meet the prime minister with our demand," said SM Mannan Kochi, the BGMEA president, after the meeting on the overall situation in the sector and way forward.

Former BGMEA presidents, leaders of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) were present.

BKMEA Executive President Mohammad Hatem said import and export of goods remain suspended for the internet blackout, for which communicating with international retailers and brands was proving troublesome.

This has also left the factory managements unable to send inspection and status reports to retailers and brands, he said.

Moreover, many trucks could not take goods from the factories to the Chattogram port but it is not possible to inform buyers of this development, he added.

There are bigger indirect losses for delays such as buyers either cancelling work orders or shifting those to other countries or seeking discounts or air shipments, he said.

"Factories will remain shut tomorrow (Monday)," he said.

When international retailers and brands lose confidence on a garment manufacturer, it is a major loss for the sector, said Abdullah Hil Rakib, vice-president of the BGMEA.

There is a lot of uncertainty over the production and shipment of goods because of the unrest and curfew, he said.