Outraged business leaders demand security

Apparel industry leaders yesterday submitted a memorandum to the prime minister at Gono Bhaban demanding security for the sector, and protesting ongoing industrial and political violence. Photo: Star

Garment exporters yesterday, in a rare move, brought out an impromptu procession on the capital's busy roads in a desperate attempt to secure sufficient security for their industry increasingly being targeted by vested quarters.
The move came as a spontaneous response to the impassioned pressure the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) members put on the association's leaders to take a tough stance against the damaging external factors bringing the sector to its knees, during a view exchange meeting in the evening.
About 500 members of BGMEA led by its President Atiqul Islam then set off from the BGMEA headquarters to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's official residence. They chanted slogans "Save garment sector, save the country" as they marched through the streets.
The march, however, came to a halt as on-duty police officials, who have been put on high alert due to the exponential increase in violence, intercepted them at Farmgate, saying they had not been instructed to allow such a huge number of people to near the premier's residence.
After receiving the green light, police let only 20 BGMEA representatives, both incumbent and former, go to Gono Bhaban, in a number of vehicles escorted by security personnel.
Later, Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), and its senior vice-president Monowara Hakim Ali and vice-president Helal Uddin also joined the delegation, which also comprised of Standard Group Managing Director Mosharraf Hussain, whose factory units in Gazipur came under attack from arsonists last week.
Following the two-hour meeting with the prime minister, Islam told reporters: "We have told the prime minister that we do not want to be the victim of politics. If the current situation continues, we will have to shut our businesses."
In response, the prime minister assured the garment owners that the government would ensure adequate security for the sector and would bring the culprits behind the arsons and violence targeting garment factories to justice, he said.
The delegation also urged the prime minister to arrange dialogues with BNP to put an end to the political impasse sapping the economy greatly. "In reply, the prime minister told us that she herself had taken the initiative, but the opposition party did not pay attention to her invitation."
"You should rather urge the opposition leader to sit in the dialogue," Islam quoted Hasina as saying.
FBCCI President Ahmed said the prime minister would visit the affected factory compound of Standard Group in a day or two and also assured them that the government would do everything to help the company make a comeback.
The BGMEA also submitted a memorandum to the prime minister.
Desperate to protect their sector from the wave of deadly violence and sabotage, the BGMEA leaders, along with more than 60 other garment exporters and the FBCCI leaders, set off for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's office in Gulshan, straight from Gono Bhaban.
But they could not see her, as the BNP chief, they were told, “does not leave her house during shutdowns and blockades”.
The business leaders, however, left another memorandum of understanding with the opposition leader's advisor Sabihuddin Ahmed.
"In the memorandum, we urged her to spare the garment sector from shutdowns and blockades, as it is a crucial time for us to make our shipments abroad," Shahidullah Azim, vice-president of BGMEA, told The Daily Star.
Ahmed notified the delegation that the chairperson would reply to their letter soon.
But party insiders said the opposition leader refused to meet with the business leaders lest the ongoing movement to force the prime minister to resign and pave way for an election under a caretaker government system, loses momentum.
Earlier at the view exchange meeting at the BGMEA headquarters, Islam conveyed the concern that the international buyers' forum in Dhaka expressed at a meeting earlier in the day over the recent arson attack on Standard Group and condemned such destructive act.
The apparel makers demanded special summary trial of the persons involved in the sabotage and sought necessary support for the owner of the group to re-establish its business.
Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury Parvez, a former president of BGMEA, said: “We are all worried following the arson attack. The political leaders should understand that the vested groups could take advantage of the unstable political situation.”
Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, a former BGMEA president, demanded deployment of army if necessary on the roads and highways that are used for transporting export-import cargoes.
The BGMEA members also called both the ruling and opposition parties to stop the violence for the greater interest of the country, which is the ultimate victim of the confrontational politics.
BGMEA, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association and Bangladesh Textile Mills Association in association with all other backward linkage industries' associations will together organise a human chain in front of National Press Club in Dhaka tomorrow to protest the recent attacks on garment industry.