UNB, Dhaka :Garment makers in the country are fearing a significant fall in order placement as buyers have stopped visitingthe country to place orders due to political violence that is also tarnishing country’s image abroad.In some cases, buyers are asking the apparel makers to visit the buyers abroad for negotiating order placement, according to sector leaders.”Buyers aren’t coming here at all. Those who are already at home they also have restricted their movement on security grounds,” Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Vice President M Shahidullah Azim told UNB on Sunday.He said, the buyers are asking them to visit them abroad to discuss the order placement issue. “My son also went to Hong Kong for negotiating orders.”Responding to a question, the BGMEA leader said the buyers are reducing their volume of order considering volatile political situation in Bangladesh. “Suppose, they had a plan to place an order for 2 lakh pieces, but they will say take this smaller volume first.”Talking to UNB, Exporters’ Association of Bangladesh (EAB) President Abdus Salam Murshedy said this is a very good time for receiving orders from the buyers. “The volume of buyers order might come down but they won’t leave the country.”He said, there is a possibility that in the coming two-three months the garment makers will not take full capacity orders for their own safety, so that they can get the goods delivered timely.Murshedy, also former BGMEA President said the buyers are reminding the garment makers about the horrible situation of 2013. “It’s hurting our image again.”He also feared that there might be incidents of ‘cancellation’ and ‘discount’ due to current political instability.Former BGMEA first vice-president Nasir Uddin Chowdhury said buyers do not usually take risk in such a volatile political situation.”We don’t dare to travel from Chittagong to Dhaka in this situation. How can we expect buyers to come here?” he told UNB.The former BGMEA leader said the buyers are rescheduling their visits to Bangladesh in the hope that the situation will improve.”We are in a position to incur such losses for 15 days at best. But if it happens for indefinite period, then we’ll be destroyed. We’re counting losses individually,” he added.Earlier BGMEA president M Atiqul Islam said Bangladesh wants to get 8 percent of the global apparel market to achieve the targeted US$ 50 billion RMG exports by 2021.Currently, apparel demand in the global market is about $450 billion which will hit $650 billion by 2021. Bangladesh currently shares 5 percent of the total global apparel demand.BGMEA leaders have long been urging the political parties to come out from negative political programmes like hartal and blockade and resolve the differences through peaceful dialogue.At a recent press conference, they said they even might meet BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to convince her to come out the negative political programmes.
