Keep factories open, urge exporters, as Bangladesh to go for strict lockdown

Four leading associations related to garment export at a joint press conference on Sunday asked the government to allow them run their factories in lockdown.

They said if the factories remain off in lockdown they may lose orders worth millions of US dollars. Also, buyers may shift their orders to other competing countries, they claimed.

Mohammad Abdus Salam, acting president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association read out a written statement at the briefing attended by top business leaders.

“We have no option but to keep our factories open,” Salam said, otherwise exporters would lose hugely.

Selim Osman, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Mohammad Ali Khokon, president of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) and Abdus Salam Murshedy, MP, president of Exporters Association of Bangladesh represented their respective sectors at the briefing.

Two former presidents of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) -- Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, MP and AK Azad – were also present.

Bangladesh, which is the world’s second largest garment exporter after China, will go for a strict lockdown for a week starting from Wednesday, to curb the spread of Covid-19.

More to follow…