Home ›› 25 Jul 2021 ›› Front
Ibrahim Hossain Ovi with Arifur Rahaman Tuhin
The apparel exporters plan to rely on holidays and overtime to cover working hours lost due to the ongoing lockdown to ensure on-time shipment of goods in progress.
After the Eid ul-Azha, the government enforced the second phase of strict lockdown from July 23 to August 5 to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Though the clothing sector was allowed to run the factories during the previous lockdowns, this time they are not permitted to do so.
Talking to The Business Post, several RMG exporters shared their plans to cover working hours they are losing due to the current situation.
“We will lose nine working days but that has to be adjusted to maintain the cyclic production process. To do so, we have to rely on extended duties and holidays,” SM Khaled, Managing Director of Snowtex Outerwear Ltd, told The Business Post.
“When I came to learn about the shutdown, I used one holyday before Eid and engaged workers in extra work for one hour. This helped me adjust production for one and a half days.”
But with the system the exporter said he would not be able to recover fully and that is why he is preparing to engage more workers to finish the production in progress hiring extra workforce.
However, it would deal a great blow to those exporters who will fail to meet the lead as they have to send their produce through air shipment.
“Sweater exporters are in fear of missing on-time shipment due to disruption to production caused by the lockdown,” Mahbubur Rahman Lucky, managing director of South-East Sweater, told The Business Post.
“Our products are only for the winter season and it is a peak time for sweater exporters. If we cannot continue production, how will we deliver within the deadline?” he posed a question.
“Given the circumstances, we might have to send products by air, which will add more cost to production.”
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is working with the government to clear the backlog at ports for ensuring a smoother export-import activity during the lockdown.
Working closely with the government, the export-import activity at ports has been kept up, BGMEA president Faruque Hassan said, adding that the backlog out there will be removed soon.
On the other hand, factory owners are using various mechanisms including increasing the number of workers, and keeping factories open on weekly holidays and overtime, said the business leader.
Meanwhile, the association leaders are trying to convince the government to allow running factories from August 1.
“For the sake of the sector, we are trying to reach the government high officials so that we can depict the reality,” a former BGMEA president told The Business Post seeking anonymity.
