Businesses worried over fresh turmoil:Daily Sun

 Traders and exporters are worried over the fresh political unrest at the very beginning of the year, saying that the return of political instability would severely hinder the country’s economic development. They also fear that a prolonged unrest will jeopardise the country’s efforts to regain its image that had been damaged by similar conflicts and industrial disasters. “The situation across the
country last Monday gives us a signal about a looming political crisis, which will once again force the country’s business and commercial activities towards uncertainty and jeopardy” trade body leaders observed while talking to daily sun. Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) Vice President Md Helal Uddin Ahmed told daily sun that political instability has become the biggest obstacle to flourishing the country’s trade and commerce. “The FBCCI has been demanding to put an end to such anarchy and to find out alternate ways of agitation so that the businesses are spared from political destruction.” Md Helal Uddin Ahmed said, adding that businesses are the worst victims of political turmoil. Md Shahjahan Khan, former president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DCCI), observed that the political situation seems to be worsening and if the unrest lasts for a loger period like in 2013, businesses will face another big blow. “When power and gas crisis coupled with high bank interest rate is pushing many industries on the verge of collapse, deterioration of the political situation would cause irreparable losses to the entrepreneurs.” he added. “We never want political programmes like hartal and blockade that hurt the economy. The politicians should think about alternatives to hartal and blockade so that trade and commercial activities could run as unusual during the protest programmes,” Shahjahan Khan added. BKMEA leader Md Hatem said such political behaviors would certainly be harmful for the country’s growing economy. “General people who live hand to mouth are left without income in case of their absence from the workplace. Political unrest pushes them towards severely sufferings, whereas our politicians claim that they do politics for the mass people,” Hatem added. Bangladesh Exporters’ Association (BEA) President Abdus Salam Murshedy said the blockade is as harmful as the hartals, especially for the export-oriented industries. Meanwhile, small traders have also vented frustration over the fresh political unrest at the very beginning of 2015. “At a time when the businessmen are striving to mitigate the losses they had incurred during the turmoil in 2013, emergence of a similar situation is a matter of grave concern for us,” said the owner of a wholesale garment shop at the Polwel super market at Naya Paltan in the city. He said panic has gripped the traders of the market located next to BNP’s central office.