Factories resumed full operation on Wednesday, while banks reopened as the curfew was lifted, and partial internet restoration aided customs procedures at Chittagong Port, opening the door for the resumption of export-import trades after five days.
The developments were a huge relief for apparel manufacturers, who had lost communication with global buyers and watched export consignments build up at ports due to the internet outage, which delayed customs clearance and shipping linkages.
The country’s economic activities and external trade have been halted due to an internet outage since Thursday night and a curfew enforced on Friday midnight to quell widespread mayhem stemming from anti-quota student protests.
Business leaders stated that they were able to restore trade and transaction linkages with the rest of the world, and global customers recovered confidence in Bangladeshi supply, citing the latest setbacks as a case of force majeure – situations beyond the suppliers’ control.
However, in some situations, businesses will have to send items by air to meet buyer deadlines and avoid cancellations, citing new hurdles. Several thousand export consignments, 80 per cent of which were clothes, and import containers were stalled at the country’s principal port.
Industries ranging from apparel and textiles to ceramics, steel, and cement all sustained major losses, with the BGMEA reporting daily losses of Tk1,600 crore. At a meeting with the Prime Minister, business leaders urged for restoring the internet and relaxing curfew to help them keep factories running.
The curfew is being relaxed gradually, and security in industrial zones has been beefed up, creating an enabling environment for industries and businesses, making exporters optimistic about a recovery from the past week’s business losses and supply chain disruptions.
“It seems everything is back to normal as we’ve resumed exports and imports. If utility services remain stable, we’re confident we can recover the losses,” MA Jabbar, managing director of DBL Group, one of the largest exporters, shared with local media.
Port activities also show progress. Following a nearly complete standstill in export and import cargo handling for five days due to an internet outage, the Chittagong Port Authority processed 1,500 TEUs on Tuesday and approximately 2,000 TEUs on Wednesday. Customs and port authorities stated that they will require a few more days to restore to their regular handling capability of 3,000 to 3,500 TEUs per day.
Syed M Tanvir, managing director of Pacific Jeans, EPZ’s largest local investor, stated that when the internet connection was restored, they were presently in discussions with buyers to advise them on how production and shipping have been affected.
“We have good relationships with our buyers, and they may consider this sudden disruption, which was beyond our estimation,” said Tanvir, adding that there is no fear of order cancellations. “Hopefully, we will be able to recover the loss,” he noted.
