Aggrieved RMG exporters plan demo against Indian trade show
November 30, 2012 00:00:00
Badrul Ahsan
A group of local apparel exporters along with their workers have planned to demonstrate against the single-country exposition of India in Bangladesh, demanding immediate release of export payments from, whom they alleged, a 'fraudulent' Indian importer.
The aggrieved Bangladeshi apparel exporters said they have no other options now but to stage demonstrations as neither the government of India nor its business leaders took any practical step to help disbursement of the payments against the exports even after repeated requests.
A three-day single-country exposition of Indian products is scheduled to take place in Dhaka from December 3 with a view to enhancing economic cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
According to the exporters, twenty-two Bangladeshi garment (RMG) manufacturers shipped their products worth over US$ 5.0 million to 'Liliput Kidswear Ltd' of India last year, but none of them was given any payment until now allegedly due to an evasive attitude of the importer.
They also said the importer has even failed to comply with its written commitment and bank guarantee to make the payment within July 10, 2012 in phases.
"If the Indian importer does not make payments before the exposition, then all the twenty-two factory owners and their workers together will demonstrate in front of the exposition," Md Jamal Hossain, chairman of Panshi Knit Pvt Ltd, one of the exporters whose payment was allegedly dodged by the Indian importer, told the FE.
However, the President of Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Md Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, opposed the plan of staging any demonstration and urged the aggrieved entrepreneurs not to take any decision that "can destroy the country's reputation and hamper its prospects for becoming an emerging market like that of India when it comes to local RMG products."
"We are still hopeful that it will be possible to realise the export payments through negotiations," the BGMEA president added.
