Export-oriented factories must be opened up slowly maintaining health protocol

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s private sector adviser Salman F Rahman said Saturday to save the economy the country’s export-oriented factories must be opened up slowly by maintaining necessary health protocol.

“We have to take a decision. We have Sweden model in front of us, they did not enforce lockdown. In China’s Wuhan, a second wave of infection is taking place. Germany and France are still suffering, new infections and deaths are happening, but still they are opening up their factories,” he said.

“We have to know how our economy will suffer, what is our health risk. But must open up our economy gradually by taking precautions,” he said.

Salman F Rahman asked the FBCCI to prepare a guideline on how it could be done.

He made the statement at a discussion organized by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI). Business leaders, economists, editors and policymakers joined the discussion.

Salman F Rahman joined the discussion virtually through zoom. It was moderated by FBCCI President Sheikh Fazle Fahim.

The discussion was also attended by the leaders of DCCI, BGMEA, BKMEA, BTMA, Editors’ Guilds, ATCO and various business chambers and associations.

Sheikh Fahim said the FBCCI was working with the Finance and Commerce ministries, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Bangladesh Bank  and various trade associations.

He said the government was talking to the World Health Organization (WHO), ILO and other global bodies to prepare health protocols so that opening up factories could be done in line with global standard.

Rubana Huq, president of the BGMEA, said they were under pressure to allow opening 856 factories.

She said global buyers have cancelled more than $3 billion of orders and now it was crucial opening up the factories.

She said they want to open the factories zone-wise, in a limited way and under a decided timeframe.

 Mahbubul Alam, president of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the importers were facing troubles at the Chittagong Seaport as they were not being able to get clearance because of limited office hours of the shipping agents and procedural delay by the customs.

“Because of that the importers are being fined, per container the fine is sometimes $70, it is increasing the cost of business. I want the offices of the shipping agents be extended by two hours to 3:00 pm instead of 1:00 pm,” he said.

He said small and medium enterprises in Chittagong do business worth about 37,000 crore only during the month of Ramadan, but this time they are suffering because of coronavirus.

He requested the FBCCI to make some arrangements so that SMEs can do business by taking health precautions.

Ahsan H Mansur, executive director of the Policy Research Institute, said that the industrial areas and the whole country should be categorized in red, yellow and green colours.

He said the FBCCI, BGMEA and other sectors should work together to prepare sector-based health protocols under which the factories could be opened up.

He appreciated the government-announced stimulus package to deal with the impact of coronavirus, but the amount should be increased. The discussion was also attended by former FBCCI presidents AK Azad, Mir Nasir Hossain, Matlub Ahmad, Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam, Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman and business and chamber leaders from Khulna, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Rangpur, Jamalpur.

 -rmc//