Considered a vital overseas market for Bangladeshi garments, the recent imposition of ban by the United Kingdom Government on direct air cargo from Dhaka to the UK has prompted the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) to urge the Bangladesh Government to intervene and bring about a quick solution to the issue.
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“We are worried by the decision of the UK,” underlined President of BGMEA Siddiqur Rahman, adding, “Once the decision comes into effect, we have to send garment items through Singapore or Hong Kong or Thailand or Dubai.”
Such a move according to the BGMEA President would “increase the transportation costs and time, in turn hurting the business to the UK market”.
Also Read – Aussie ban on air cargo worries garment exporters
Rahman, who apprehends such a move, would certainly impact garment exports to the UK market, stated that RMG export earnings from the UK in the last financial year amounted to around US$3 billion (which is 11.76 per cent higher than that of the previous fiscal year) and in the first six months of current financial year of 2015-16, the export earnings from UK grew by 26.10 per cent.
It may be mentioned here that earlier Australia also imposed embargo on air freight from Bangladesh, which has been in force as a preventive security measure from December 19. The Australian High Commissioner in Dhaka Greg Wilcock suggested that security be improved at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport if the country wants the ban on air shipments be lifted.
