Political turbulence affects several sectors

The Readymade Garments (RMG) and Pharmaceutical sectors have been playing significant role in our economic development over the years. In spite of the political turbulence, these two sectors earned much more than what was targeted. The pharmaceutical sector was the best performer in the Dhaka Stock Exchange with the contribution of 33.1 per cent while the banking sector was a worse performer in 2013.
In 2012-13 FY, the RMG sector's export growth was 12.71 per cent which continued to grow in the first five months of the current fiscal year.  The textile and readymade garments sector is the largest sector that contributes 80 per cent of the total export. The sector contributes 16 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is really praiseworthy. On the contrary, the Telecom sector has witnessed a 16.9 per cent decline in the last nine months.
Countrywide blockade and hartal are to blame for this shortfall. Most of the clients didn't receive loans. The employees of banks passed their time idly for most of the time with no clients. The banking sector, like all of us, is optimistic that the ongoing political turbulence will not resurface and a sound environment will prevail.
Md Maskurul Alam
Department of statistics
Islamic University, Bangladesh
maskurulra@gmail.com