Businesses call for withdrawal of half-day hartal
Monday, 14 September 2009
FE Report
Different trade bodies and business associations called upon the National Committee for Protection of Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports Sunday to withdraw their half-day strike called for today (Monday).
They urged the committee leaders to pull out from their plan considering the interest of businesses ahead of the Eid festival and said their action would further hold back the country's economic growth.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) in its reaction said the strike would hinder the association members' efforts to pay salaries and incentives to their workers.
In a written statement, the association said the readymade garment sector has been facing difficult times due to the global recession. But the country's garment factory owners are trying their best to meet the basic requirements of their workers through increased production-efficiency.
But the strike would hinder the overall production and thus affect the arrangement of workers' payment, the press release said.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) called upon the committee to withdraw the planned half-day strike, saying that it would cause sufferings to the general people in the holy month of Ramadan.
The DCCI also said it would affect the entire business of the country before the Eid-Ul-Fitr and would hinder production in mills and industries.
DCCI also said it never supports strike as a means of demand fulfillment and opined that the issue relating to the gas and coal exploration could have been resolved through mutual discussion.
President of Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) Shahidul Islam Helal, however, stressed the importance of making the gas and coal exploration agreements public and transparent as demanded by the protesting national committee, but could not appreciate the strike call at a time just a week before the Eid-Ul-Fitr festival.
They could have given an ultimatum to the government as the half-day strike would significantly hinder national economic growth, he added.
However, the National Committee for Protection of Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports in a press release urged the city-dwellers to actively participate in the half-day strike.
Convener of the committee Engineer Shaikh Muhammad Shahidullah and member secretary Prof Anu Muhammad called on Dhaka residents to support the strike in a peaceful manner.
It also published a list of vehicles and areas of business, exempted from the purview of the half-day strike. They are ambulance, transports used in emergency electricity supply, hospitals, pharmacies, fire-brigade vehicles and the city kitchen markets.
Different trade bodies and business associations called upon the National Committee for Protection of Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports Sunday to withdraw their half-day strike called for today (Monday).
They urged the committee leaders to pull out from their plan considering the interest of businesses ahead of the Eid festival and said their action would further hold back the country's economic growth.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) in its reaction said the strike would hinder the association members' efforts to pay salaries and incentives to their workers.
In a written statement, the association said the readymade garment sector has been facing difficult times due to the global recession. But the country's garment factory owners are trying their best to meet the basic requirements of their workers through increased production-efficiency.
But the strike would hinder the overall production and thus affect the arrangement of workers' payment, the press release said.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) called upon the committee to withdraw the planned half-day strike, saying that it would cause sufferings to the general people in the holy month of Ramadan.
The DCCI also said it would affect the entire business of the country before the Eid-Ul-Fitr and would hinder production in mills and industries.
DCCI also said it never supports strike as a means of demand fulfillment and opined that the issue relating to the gas and coal exploration could have been resolved through mutual discussion.
President of Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) Shahidul Islam Helal, however, stressed the importance of making the gas and coal exploration agreements public and transparent as demanded by the protesting national committee, but could not appreciate the strike call at a time just a week before the Eid-Ul-Fitr festival.
They could have given an ultimatum to the government as the half-day strike would significantly hinder national economic growth, he added.
However, the National Committee for Protection of Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports in a press release urged the city-dwellers to actively participate in the half-day strike.
Convener of the committee Engineer Shaikh Muhammad Shahidullah and member secretary Prof Anu Muhammad called on Dhaka residents to support the strike in a peaceful manner.
It also published a list of vehicles and areas of business, exempted from the purview of the half-day strike. They are ambulance, transports used in emergency electricity supply, hospitals, pharmacies, fire-brigade vehicles and the city kitchen markets.