Staff Reporter :
Leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) yesterday expressed concern over the container congestion at Chittagong Port following the strike enforced by the Chittagong Prime Mover-Trailer Owners-Workers Unity Council.
They said the strike has affected their export and production seriously causing losses to billions of taka.
“The strike has led to serious container congestion at the port leaving an adverse impact on our exports and factory production,” Md Siddiqur Rahman, President of BGMEA told this at a
press conference on Friday. BGMEA organised the press conference to brief journalists about the impact of the strike on the apparel industry.
“We do not see any justification of the strike when the whole economy suffers from this kind of act,” said the BGMEA president, adding, “Chittagong is our prime seaport and the country’s 80 per cent import and export trade pass through it”.
“The port is playing a vital role for economic activities, but it’s activities are disrupted time and again after enforcement of strikes by various groups. It a matter of grave concern …We cannot accept such a destructive programme. We want a permanent solution to this,” Rahman added.
The BGMEA leader also urged all to come out with a permanent solution of the present deadlock to keep running wheels of their industries.
He also asked the authorities concerned to take measures for quick disposal of the containers now piled up at the port.
“Chittagong Port was experiencing the largest ever container congestion as the trailer operators have enforced an indefinite strike from Monday,” Rahman said.
As of Thursday, a total of 40,259 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers were stockpiled at the port yards exceeding its total capacity of storing 36,357 TEUs of containers.
Of the stockpiled containers, as many as 13,500 TEUs contain materials imported by apparel exporters.
“These imported containers could not be released in the last few days due to the strike. The exporters were paying the price and the disruption will send a negative message to the buyers,” said the BGMEA president.
Leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) yesterday expressed concern over the container congestion at Chittagong Port following the strike enforced by the Chittagong Prime Mover-Trailer Owners-Workers Unity Council.
They said the strike has affected their export and production seriously causing losses to billions of taka.
“The strike has led to serious container congestion at the port leaving an adverse impact on our exports and factory production,” Md Siddiqur Rahman, President of BGMEA told this at a
press conference on Friday. BGMEA organised the press conference to brief journalists about the impact of the strike on the apparel industry.
“We do not see any justification of the strike when the whole economy suffers from this kind of act,” said the BGMEA president, adding, “Chittagong is our prime seaport and the country’s 80 per cent import and export trade pass through it”.
“The port is playing a vital role for economic activities, but it’s activities are disrupted time and again after enforcement of strikes by various groups. It a matter of grave concern …We cannot accept such a destructive programme. We want a permanent solution to this,” Rahman added.
The BGMEA leader also urged all to come out with a permanent solution of the present deadlock to keep running wheels of their industries.
He also asked the authorities concerned to take measures for quick disposal of the containers now piled up at the port.
“Chittagong Port was experiencing the largest ever container congestion as the trailer operators have enforced an indefinite strike from Monday,” Rahman said.
As of Thursday, a total of 40,259 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers were stockpiled at the port yards exceeding its total capacity of storing 36,357 TEUs of containers.
Of the stockpiled containers, as many as 13,500 TEUs contain materials imported by apparel exporters.
“These imported containers could not be released in the last few days due to the strike. The exporters were paying the price and the disruption will send a negative message to the buyers,” said the BGMEA president.
