The textile and apparel industry of the country was already in crisis due to various pressures. That crisis has exacerbated by the current quota reform movement. Due to general holidays and internet shutdown, there has been a negative impact on this industry. Many entrepreneurs could not ship the goods on time. Due to which they are worried about getting the bill on time.

In this situation, the entrepreneurs are worried about the payment of the workers’ salaries for the month of July. For this, they demand to give bank loan at 2 percent interest. Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) has written a letter to Finance Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali seeking suspension of loan installments for 6 months.

Mohammad Hatem, Executive President of BKMEA said, we have been paralyzed by the problems of the last one-two weeks. Many people will not be able to pay the salary for the month of July. So we have urged that Bangladesh Bank should give an instruction to give loan at 2 percent interest for payment of salary for the month of July. This loan should be for one year, and we will repay it in installments every month.

He said, the situation is already bad, this new situation has happened on top of it. In the coming months, the situation will get worse, not better. Where I cannot pay the salary, how to pay the installments of the loan? So we demand that the loan be suspended for the next six months without interest.

President of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association Mohammad Ali Khokon has also written to the finance minister to arrange payment for the current month’s salary as a loan from the bank for a period of 1 year at a maximum interest rate of 2 percent. At the same time, he urged to provide a loan at the same interest rate (2%) to facilitate the payment of gas and electricity bills for the current month of July.

Mohammad Ali Khokon said, if we cannot provide the shipment documents of the last few days by August 10, then the bank will not give us the bill for the package.

He said, our 15-day production has been suspended. But it is not that everything will be easy in the next 15 days. And the orders that are supposed to come in, have stalled. We can see the coming days, the situation is bad.

Traders in this sector said that due to the curfew and shutdown, the port has been closed for a few days, resulting in a container jam. In this, many exporters are forced to go for air shipment to compensate for the delay in exporting products. Due to the high cost of air shipment, there is a risk of loss. Besides, traders said that there is fear in getting new orders due to the immense crisis created due to violence.

Leaders of business associations met the Prime Minister last week. They demanded immediate release of internet connection and garments. In view of this, broadband internet connection was launched on 24th July and mobile internet connection on 28th July. Later business activities started.

Faruque Hassan, former president of Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said that despite the companies keeping their production units open, business was virtually at a standstill due to lack of internet. Besides, the supply system has been severely disrupted. The shipment is frozen because the product could not be delivered on time. As a result, orders from some companies have been cancelled. Some companies are forced to ship products by air.

He said though the crisis seems to be under control now, it will still affect exporters for more than a month. Because of the backlog of orders that cannot be delivered on time.