Business and economic activities in both rural and urban areas have been badly affected by protracted blockades and political violence that paralysed transports across the country and reduced export-import trades at the main seaport. Chamber leaders of Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna and Sylhet said business and trades in various sectors – agriculture, manufacturing, poultry, fisheries and services – bore the brunt of the political unrest which caused severe disruption in transport.
Earnings of low income people like day labourers, street vendors, retailers and transport workers have
shrunk as development activities in public and private sectors have slowed down.
The Bangladesh Nationalists Party-led opposition has enforced a series of blockades since the Election Commission announced the schedules for the 10th parliamentary polls on November 25 and the fifth spell of blockade ends at 5:00pm today. The opposition is demanding cancellation of the election scheduled for January 5 and holding of the polls under a non-party government.
The ruling party, however, remained unresponsive to the demand.
Container delivery service has almost come to a halt in Chittagong port through which 80 per cent of the country’s export and import are carried out.
Quoting port officials our correspondent said 200-300 import containers were now being delivered a day against 2,000 because of political unrest.
Unlike in the past the rural economy had been badly affected by the political unrest this time.
In the past political agitations remained confined to major cities and district towns. But this time remote villages too were not spared.
Farmer who constitute about half of the country’s workforce were forced to sell their produces at prices much lower than expected because of disruption of transports and marketing.
Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Abu Bakker Ali said the farmers had failed to market the early winter vegetables and were selling the recently harvested aman rice at Tk 750-800 which was lower than the expected price.
Former caretaker government adviser Mirza Azizul Islam said that other than agriculture the country’s manufacturing sector led by the export- oriented readymade garment would be affected.
Unfavorable business atmosphere did not last so long in recent past, he said.
However, the country’s export earning in November grew by 25.34 per cent to $2.21 billion from $1.76 billion one year ago despite slowing business activities.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers an Exporters Association vice-president Shahidullah Azim said that the export figures in November did not reflect the actual situation.
He noted that the picture would be clear by next March.
Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mahbubul Alam said more than 80 per cent of business activities had declined in the port city, the country’s main manufacturing hub.
‘You cannot expect mills and factories to continue production when release of imported containers at Chittagong port is being disrupted, he said.
Although the RMG sector has remained unaffected, if judged by the export figures, export-oriented jute sector has already started feeling the adverse impact of the political unrest.
The export earning from jute and jute goods, including raw jute, jute yarn and twine jute sacks and bags and other products posted a negative growth by 19.80 per cent.
According to Export Promotion Bureau, jute goods exports stood at $332.40 million in July-November against $414.45 million during the corresponding period last year.
Khulna Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Kazi Aminul Islam pointed out that production of export-oriented jute goods had almost stopped due to a break in supply of raw jute.
Sylhet Metro Chamber of Commerce and Industry senior vice-president Haseen Ahmed said the blockade had affected the tea industry located in the region.
Tea growers almost suspended production because of disruption in transport.
Businessmen recently formed human chains across the country to press for a business-friendly environment and protest at the ongoing political violence.
A study conducted earlier by United Nations Development Programme and a rough estimate by the International Chamber of Commerce Bangladesh revealed that a one-day general strike cost the country around $200 million.
-With New Age input
