Ctg deluge inflicts huge losses on exporters
Saturday, 16 June 2007
Jasim Uddin Haroon
The country's leading exporting sectors, especially apparel and jute, might incur shipment losses worth Tk 1.0 billion due to damage caused to their products by recent flooding of the private inland container depots (ICD) and factories in Chittagong.
A large quantity of export cargoes at the ICDs was damaged due to the inundation by incessant rain on Monday.
Apart from this, goods at a large number export-oriented industrial units, including apparel, frozen foods and jute, in Chittagong were also damaged.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said more than 30,000 cartoons of ready-made products have been damaged at Portlink, one of the leading private ICDs out of 12 at Bhatiary in Chittagong.
Most of the ready-made products arrived at the depot from Dhaka and was scheduled to be shipped abroad, BGMEA sources claimed.
BGMEA leaders claimed production at different garment units in the port city had been hampered, on an average 30 per cent each day, as the workers were unable to report to duty on time following the natural calamity.
While talking to the FE, BGMEA first vice president MA Salam said the sector might lose around Tk 1.0 billion export as a large quantity of apparel items was damaged at the Portlink.
Mohammed Hamidul Hoque, Managing Director of Liss Group said: "As directed by the buyer I sent 17,000 pieces of trousers to Portlink. I later came to know that most of the items that reached the depot were damaged".
The apparel items were to be shipped to Germany.
"I am really worried about the fate of the products," Hoque added.
The BGMEA and jute exporters say, most of the export items suffered at the Portlink due to its structural defect.
Admitting inundation of the terminal by rainwater, Bhupender Singh, Chief Executive of the Portlink told the FE that survey for assessing the magnitude of losses was continuing.
"We will able to have a clear picture of the extent of the damage in a day or two," Singh added.
In the meantime, jute yarn exporters said that their shipment remained suspended since Tuesday as the private ICDs failed to load jute yarn in the containers.
Chairman of Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association (BJSA) Sabbir Yousuf told the FE Friday that the suspension of shipment was not only causing financial losses to the factory owners but the country also was being deprived of foreign currency.
"We export each day around 800 tonnes of yarn. Over the past one week our shipment remained totally suspended due to the inundation of the ICDs ," BJSMA Chairman added.
Jute yarn sector exported around 270,000 tonnes of yarn last year and it is growing at a rate of 23 per cent.
A number of frozen food units located in the port city also suffered due to the heavy rainfall.
President of Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association Mohamed Belayet Hossain said that they already asked their members to inform the quantity of losses incurred due to heavy rainfall.
Sources claimed frozen food processing units at Saogirika Road and Nasirabad area had been badly damaged.
Some imported vehicles that remained at the Chittagong port yard were also damaged due to heavy downpour on Monday.
President of Bangladesh Re-conditioned Vehicles and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) Abdul Hoque told the FE that their loss due to the rainwater at port area was minimal as the members from Task Forces were cautious about the rainwater and its consequential effects.
"The port and army teams invited importers to take care of their cars soon after the rain receded on Tuesday," Hoque added.
The country's leading exporting sectors, especially apparel and jute, might incur shipment losses worth Tk 1.0 billion due to damage caused to their products by recent flooding of the private inland container depots (ICD) and factories in Chittagong.
A large quantity of export cargoes at the ICDs was damaged due to the inundation by incessant rain on Monday.
Apart from this, goods at a large number export-oriented industrial units, including apparel, frozen foods and jute, in Chittagong were also damaged.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said more than 30,000 cartoons of ready-made products have been damaged at Portlink, one of the leading private ICDs out of 12 at Bhatiary in Chittagong.
Most of the ready-made products arrived at the depot from Dhaka and was scheduled to be shipped abroad, BGMEA sources claimed.
BGMEA leaders claimed production at different garment units in the port city had been hampered, on an average 30 per cent each day, as the workers were unable to report to duty on time following the natural calamity.
While talking to the FE, BGMEA first vice president MA Salam said the sector might lose around Tk 1.0 billion export as a large quantity of apparel items was damaged at the Portlink.
Mohammed Hamidul Hoque, Managing Director of Liss Group said: "As directed by the buyer I sent 17,000 pieces of trousers to Portlink. I later came to know that most of the items that reached the depot were damaged".
The apparel items were to be shipped to Germany.
"I am really worried about the fate of the products," Hoque added.
The BGMEA and jute exporters say, most of the export items suffered at the Portlink due to its structural defect.
Admitting inundation of the terminal by rainwater, Bhupender Singh, Chief Executive of the Portlink told the FE that survey for assessing the magnitude of losses was continuing.
"We will able to have a clear picture of the extent of the damage in a day or two," Singh added.
In the meantime, jute yarn exporters said that their shipment remained suspended since Tuesday as the private ICDs failed to load jute yarn in the containers.
Chairman of Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association (BJSA) Sabbir Yousuf told the FE Friday that the suspension of shipment was not only causing financial losses to the factory owners but the country also was being deprived of foreign currency.
"We export each day around 800 tonnes of yarn. Over the past one week our shipment remained totally suspended due to the inundation of the ICDs ," BJSMA Chairman added.
Jute yarn sector exported around 270,000 tonnes of yarn last year and it is growing at a rate of 23 per cent.
A number of frozen food units located in the port city also suffered due to the heavy rainfall.
President of Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association Mohamed Belayet Hossain said that they already asked their members to inform the quantity of losses incurred due to heavy rainfall.
Sources claimed frozen food processing units at Saogirika Road and Nasirabad area had been badly damaged.
Some imported vehicles that remained at the Chittagong port yard were also damaged due to heavy downpour on Monday.
President of Bangladesh Re-conditioned Vehicles and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) Abdul Hoque told the FE that their loss due to the rainwater at port area was minimal as the members from Task Forces were cautious about the rainwater and its consequential effects.
"The port and army teams invited importers to take care of their cars soon after the rain receded on Tuesday," Hoque added.