Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has postponed today’s (Monday) scheduled meeting with the Buyers’ Forum, an organisation of the buyers of apparels. Faruk Hassan, senior Vice President of BGMEA, said that the meeting was cancelled due to the security concern that evoked afresh following the second murder of another foreigner. The BGMEA official said the meeting will remain postponed until further announcement. According to Hassan, Representatives from nearly 65 to 70 international retailers, which account for about 90 percent of the country’s $25 billion receipts from garment exports a year, participate in the meeting. The retailers that participate in the meeting include Walmart, Gap, JC Penney, C&A, Tesco, G-Star, H&M, Target, Inditex and Carrefour. In the forum meeting, they mainly discuss their various problems and find solutions. Besides this, foreign buyers of Bangladesh readymade garments (RMG) are concerned over the country’s law and order situation after the killing of an Italian aid worker in the diplomatic zone in Dhaka and killing of a Japanese citizen at Alutari of Kawnia upazila in Rangpur. Some of the buyers deferred their scheduled visit to Bangladesh citing security issues, said BGMEA leaders. Garment sector leaders said that a buyer from UK had postponed his visit to Bangladesh scheduled this month while another from Australia deferred his Oct 5-17 visit citing security grounds. Dr Khondokar Golam Moyazzaem Haossain, Additional Director of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) told the Daily Observer, the buyers of RMG in Bangladesh have worried and concerned over the country’s law and order situation after the killing of an Italian aid worker and a Japanese citizen. Bangladesh has plunged into image crisis following these two killing incidents, he added. Former FBCCI President Mir Nasir Hossain said If the foreigners feel insecure, FDI would be hampered, he said, terming the incidents ‘an ominous sign’ for the investment and business in the country.
