Renewed call for keeping factories open from August 1 in lockdown

Country’s clothing industry owners on Thursday once again urged the government to allow factories to open from August 1 despite the ongoing lockdown, beginning from July 23.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) are amongst those in favour of keeping factories open in order to bring all the RMG workers under Covid-19 vaccination within shortest possible time and also to ensure timely shipment of their goods.

They argue that closures could stint the country’s income at a time when brands and retailers from the western world are placing orders again. There are also concerns about people’s safety as they flee the capital of Dhaka in their thousands.

BGMEA president Faruque Hassan came up with the fresh call during a meeting with cabinet secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam in the capital on Thursday.

A team of clothing business leaders led by Exporters Association of Bangladesh president Abdus Salam Murshedy met the cabinet secretary to discuss the matter with him in this regard.

“Right now, vaccinating the apparel workers is very important for us to keep the economic activities operational. As the government has procured Covid-19 vaccines and only if the factories are opened, we will be able to inoculate them,” said Faruque Hassan while talking to The Business Post.

On the other hand, if the bar on running factories is lifted on August 5 as per the existing announcement, it would create a mad rush again on the same day, said Hassan.

That is why, we are requesting the government to allow us to open and run our factories from August 1, which will not only help us to maintain our supply chain but also the maximum number of RMG workers will also be vaccinated by this time, he clarified.

If the factories remained closed, it also hit the total supply chain, which would create shortages of different types of products linked with the exports, Hassan argued.

On the other hand, it will be too late for the RMG workers for the essential inoculation, he added.

“Due to the ongoing strict lockdown, the supply chain of goods as well as export-oriented manufacturing units are hit hard, which ultimately badly affected people’s lives and the economic activities,’’ said FBCCI president Jasim Uddin.

If the production of export-oriented factories remain closed further, the exporters would miss the deadline to ship their goods on time, said the business leader.

Against such a backdrop, the government should consider the demands of the business community for the sake of the people as well as the country’s economy, he added.

Thw meeting was attended, among others, by BKMEA president Salim Osman, FBCCI president Jashim Uddin, BGMEA vice presidents Shahidullah Azim and Khandaker Rafiqul Islam, DCCI President Rezwan Rahman and BKMEA first vice president Mohammad Hatem also were present at the meeting.