Staff Reporter :
Business community on Sunday staged demonstrations across the country calling upon both the government and the main opposition BNP to find a peaceful way out of the current political standoff to save the national economy.
Addressing a symbolic demonstration held in front of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Bhaban at Motijheel in the capital, its president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed said: ‘So far the country has incurred a loss of at least Tk 75,000 crore due to the ongoing hartals and nonstop blockade enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance.
Carrying national flag, banners and festoons, thousands of businessmen took to the streets in front of their respective trade organisations, shopping malls, business establishments and shops in capital Dhaka and other metropolitan cities and towns throughout the country, report our correspondents.
Country’s apex trade body FBCCI organised the programme to send a message to the political parties and politicians that they want to get rid of such destructive activities. Responding to FBCCI’s call, all other trade bodies and business people all over the country took part in the demonstrations. The banners contained the FBCCI’s slogans, such as, “Country’s interest is above all” and “Save country, save economy”. The protest rallies and demonstrations, which began with playing and singing of the national anthem, continued between 12:00noon and 12.15pm.
Around 50 trade bodies, including Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) took part in the protest rally. In capital Dhaka, FBCCI president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed on behalf of all businessmen in the country readout a memorandum calling upon the politicians to stop destructive activities in a bid to restore the congenial business atmosphere.
“We are calling upon the politicians to follow the fair democratic norms and values in a bid to stop destructive activities now sweeping the country,” he said while reading out the memorandum in front of FBCCI Bhaban. He cautioned that the prevailing situation cannot be continued further as their backs pushed into the wall.
“Our backs pushed into the wall. Such a situation can’t be continued further. The politicians will have to take initiative to overcome the prevailing situation. If the situation continues, a law will have to be formulated to ban hartal immediately,” the FBCCI president said.
He said the country’s businessmen have incurred a loss Taka 75,000 crore due to the ongoing hartal and indefinite blockade since January 5. “If such destructive activities continue, the economy will be destroyed completely,” Kazi Akram Uddin said, adding the businesspeople are taking to the streets as they cannot afford counting the losses anymore. He said they are incurring a loss of Taka 2,700 crore everyday due to one-day hartal and blockade.
Former FBCCI presidents Yusuf Abdullah Harun, Mir Nasir Hossain, AK Azad and Salman F Rahman, BGMEA President Atiqul Islam and former and incumbent leaders of different trade bodies also attended the protest rally. Besides, former MCCI President Rokia Afzal Rahman and DCCI President Hossain Khaled, among others, also attended the protest rally. “The readymade garment sector is facing the worst as it ranked the top of list with incurring loss of around Tk 30,000 crore so far while the retail and wholesale business Tk 15,000 crore,” Kazi Akram Uddin said.
In Port Chittagong, businesspeople led Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) President Mahbubul Alam staged demonstration in Agrabad. Talking to The New Nation, the CCCI president said over 5,000 businessmen took part in the protest rally. “We are demanding of the government to deal the terrorists involved in petrol bomb attack with iron hand,” he said. Besides, they called upon the politicians to create a stable situation across the country for smooth business.
“We are urging the BNP-led 20-party alliance to withdraw its ongoing hartal and indefinite blockade. Otherwise, the country’s economy will be destroyed,” Mahbubul Alam said.
