The second wave of the coronavirus pandemic reportedly taking a serious turn in Europe and USA, garment exporters in Bangladesh claimed buyers and retailers are asking to delay shipments of ready orders even as they apprehend apparel exports to take a hit in the coming days.

Speaking to the media, Senior Vice-President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Faisal Samad, reportedly, maintained that the retailers are asking their suppliers in Bangladesh to delay shipments of ready goods for a month.

Meanwhile, BGMEA President Dr. Rubana Huq reportedly stated that apparel exports in October fell by 5.85 per cent after registering increase in August and September owing to the second wave of the pandemic in West that has forced some countries to impose restrictions.

According to the BGMEA, Bangladesh raked in US $ 1.92 billion in export earnings in first 27 days of October this year in comparison to US $ 2.04 billion over the same period of the last fiscal year.

Expressing apprehensions that Christmas sales might get affected in Bangladesh’s apparel export destinations as these countries would observe this festival in a very subdued manner, the Chairman of Envoy Textiles, Kutubuddin Ahmed reportedly said that business will plunge into trouble if orders are held up or cancelled.