Businesses urge govt to take urgent steps to ensure law and order

Entrepreneurs met with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus today and urged the government to take the required measures to ensure law and order in industrial areas so that they can run factories and conduct business smoothly.

The plea was made during a meeting at the Jamuna state guest house in the wake of the unrest that is hindering factory production in the Savar-Gazipur area, one of the country's major industrial hubs.

At least 50 garment factories were closed today although army and police personnel conducted a joint operation to prevent unrest in the area.

Nearly 100 factories, mainly garment and pharmaceutical units, in the industrial zone had to halt production yesterday.

Yunus assured business leaders of all possible support to take Bangladesh's industrial growth to new heights, according to a statement from the chief adviser's office.

"We want to take the industry to a new level," he told the delegation, led by Mahbubur Rahman, president of the International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh. 

The chief adviser said the student-people revolution ushered in a new era of hope, adding that the interim government is committed to carrying out reforms in industry, finance, and manufacturing.

Business leaders raised the issue of unrest, saying they suspected that factories were being vandalised at the instigation of outsiders, including groups from outside the country.

They demanded that security measures be stepped up in industrial areas, adding that the image of the country would be dented if safety and security were not ensured.

Yunus told businesses that his government remains committed to protecting factories.

"Our first responsibility is to provide protection to the industry," he said.

He also urged industry leaders to undertake labour reform measures to win more orders from top global brands and retailers.

"We have a big opportunity to carry out vital reforms. We need to upgrade our labour laws to ILO standards," he said.

The chief adviser said he had spoken to top business CEOs from across the globe and they are keenly interested in investing in Bangladesh and placing more orders with the country's manufacturers.

Tapan Chowdhury, managing director of Square Pharmaceuticals, AK Azad, former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Mir Nasir Hossain, a former FBCCI president, Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, and Naser Ezaz Bijoy, vice president of the ICC-B, attended the meeting.

After the meeting, Bijoy told said they pleaded with the government to adopt a firm stance in ensuring law and order.

"The unrest is causing reputational damage to our country. If the problems are not addressed immediately, we may lose buyers," he said.

"So, we requested urgent measures to address the issue."