A NATIONAL daily reported on Monday that Bangladesh’s export to Australia by air cargo remained suspended for more than a month following restrictions on security grounds causing huge losses mainly to readymade garment exports. Australia is a friendly country offering duty-free export to Bangladesh but the action has stunned many in the business circle as very harmful based on fear of explosive in cargo parcels that may endanger life and property at the airports.
President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) quoted officials of two largest air courier service providers – DHL and FedEx as saying that the Australian authority has asked them not to carry any parcels from Bangladesh to Australia. This restriction has its origin visibly in attacks on foreign nationals in Bangladesh in September and October last year and terrorist attacks by Islamic militants in some other countries including France. He said there is no presence of Islamic State (IS) terrorists in Bangladesh, it is amply clear, except some home-grown militants who have no capacity to pose potential threat to Australian national security. He also said the Australian authority is not right in putting the name of Bangladesh with some terrorists infested countries like Somalia. Such outlook is totally unfair.
As it appears, Bangladesh Foreign Ministry has so far failed to resolve the issue diplomatically with Canberra but we believe that more vigorous attempts must be made to convince Australia to review its decision. What appears hurting the most is that exporters can’t send even samples to buyers to confirm new orders and the limit on cargo parcel at 500mg do not allow a small item to reach buyers. Sending samples by ship is time consuming. Australia is a growing export market for Bangladesh that Canberra facilitated by allowing duty-free export. Bangladesh’s export stood at $605 millions in 2015. Nurturing this market now needs more sustained care and relentless efforts but the ongoing situation is not supportive any way to trade expansion. We believe even the Australian authorities may not mean it. But it is also true continued restrictions hurting our trade expansion.
Bangladesh government should be active to protect its export business. We expect the government to assure Australia about security requirements for taking cargo by air. It is sad that though government talks big and asks foreign missions to facilitate export, but concerned people in Bangladesh seen not serious. The situation is continuing over a month.
