Leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturer and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said, if the deadlock political is not resolved immediately, they would bring out white flag procession across the country on December 15.
Sounding a note of caution, they said, they would take to the streets together with their workers if the country’ s prevailing political crisis is not resolved within next five days.
The warning came on Saturday from a ‘ human-chain’ protesting for a political consensus to end the current crisis.
Leaders of several business bodies took part in the human chain in front of the BGMEA office in city’s Karawan Bazaar.
Atiqul Islam, president of BGMEA said if violence continues, people would go against both the major political parties. He said, “ If our business cannot function, it will be difficult for us to pay salary to our employees and bank loan.”
He also urged both the two top leaders to sit for dialogue to find out a solution to the prevailing impasse. He also sought security of all modes of transport for smooth functioning of the country’s export-import business. He made an appeal to keep transportation of cargo goods and port outside any political program.
Acting President of BKMEA Md Hatim Ali, president of BTMEA Jahangir Al Amin, President of Exporters Association of Bangladesh (EAB) and former president of BGMEA Abdus Salam Murshedy and vice president of FBCCI Helal Uddin among others, who spoke at the programme.
Abdus Salam Murshedy speaking on the occasion said there should be an end to violence finding out a solution to the present crisis. “There should be end to killing of people. We do not want to see loss of any life of any worker or student in acts of violence.”
Jahangir Al Amin, president of BTMEA said the business community wants peace and stability in interest of the country’s business and economy. The political leaders, must sit together to find out a solution to the prevailing political problems, he said.
Business bodies including the apex FBCCI tried in the past to help find a negotiated solution to end the deadlock but failed.
In a similar effort, leaders of the BGMEA also met prime minister Sheikh Hasina and also handed over a memorandum to the Gulhan office of the leader of the opposition Begum Khaleda Zia, where one BNP leader received it on her behalf as she was unwell.
The businessmen leaders’ latest move to take the streets is apparently an outcome of the previous failures to mediate a solution to the crisis, which is adversely affecting trade and commerce.
