The services sector including transport, hospital, tourism and courier service has been incurring substantial loss due to the ongoing countrywide blockade, people concerned said.
They said the ongoing countrywide blockade has come as a massive blow to the country's services sector as in last 16 days on an average their business fell by more than 90 per cent.
Many entrepreneurs, in recent days, have been compelled to resort to cost-cutting measures such as down-sizing their manpower to partly offset the adverse impact of the political troubles.
According to the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), in last 16 days the transport sector counted a loss amounting to Tk 36 billion, tourism industry nearly Tk 9 billion, courier service sector Tk 300 billion and healthcare Tk 15 billion.
"Due to frequent countrywide blockade the country's services sector has lost 90 per cent of their business in recent times", Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, president of the FBCCI claimed while talking to The Financial Express (FE) Tuesday.
He said the services sector is not getting business and counting big loss. If the political troubles persist, a good number of services sector entities would become bankrupt.
He said not only the services sector but other businesses including manufacturing, export and import are also having a tough time.
Abdur Razzak Raju, general secretary of Courier Services Association of Bangladesh (CSAB) said the country's courier service sector has experienced a 90 per cent decline in their daily business during the last two weeks as countrywide blockade has completely disrupted the transportation system.
He said in last two weeks most of the courier service providers are not taking any orders for transporting parcels and products as their experience is bitter because many of their vehicles came under arson attacks and vandalism by pickets on the highways.
Mr Raju, also managing director of New Provati Courier Service, said their business dropped by about 85 per cent in the last 16 days. As a result, the company incurred around Tk 2.0 million loss.
According to the Bangladesh Courier Service Association, the sector's monthly turnover is over Tk 500 million in normal situation and there are about 700 courier service companies in the country involving around 0.4 million employees.
Salman Kabir, public relations manager of Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel said though the winter is a peak season for tourism sector, the number of tourists has marked a sharp fall following present political turmoil.
He said, in the hospitality business the occupancy generally remains on the higher end at 90 per cent or more during October - February. But in recent days this number has dropped by more than 75 per cent.
He said due to the political unrest, business persons desiring to visit Bangladesh from different parts of the world, now do not feel secure to come here.
Faruk Talukder Sohel, president of Bangladesh Bus Truck Owners' Association said about 80 per cent vehicles could not move across the country due to non-stop blockade.
According to their observation, in last two weeks about 10 per cent passenger vehicles plied in Rajshahi division, in Chittagong division around it was 15 per cent and in Dhaka division about 25 per cent private.
Mr Sohel also Managing Director of Shohagh Paribahan (Pvt) Ltd said their business fell drastically as the passengers were not interested to travel. The staffs of their company were also reluctant to work due to countrywide blockade, he added.
According to Bangladesh Bus Truck Owners' Association, more than 0.2 million buses remained idle in last 16 days rendering more than 2.0 million transport workers jobless.
The Bangladesh Truck and Van Owners Association data showed in normal situation more than 70,000 trucks and covered vans move across the country everyday but during the blockade less than 5 per cent transports could move.
Abul Kashem Shikdar, secretary of Cox's Bazar Hotel-Motel Owners' Association said a number of owners are going to downsize their respective manpower to minimise loss.
He said due to countrywide blockade the hotel and motel owners in Cox's Bazar, the country's main tourist hub, are counting losses of Tk 50 million in business everyday.
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