Economy lost Tk 1.20 lakh crore so far

The apex chamber body – Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) on Wednesday last said total losses to the economy and business so far from continued blockade and hartals stood at Tk 1.20 lakh crores.
FBCCI president Kazi Akramuddin Ahmed made the disclosure while briefing the foreign envoys posted in the capital. BNP-led 20- party alliance is enforcing the blockade demanding a free and fair election to end the controversial January 5 election.
Held at Hotel Sonargaon in the city, diplomats from US, UK, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia, Turkey, India, Pakistan, Singapore and representatives of UN agencies and international organizations took part in the briefing.
Kazi Akramuddin said, the 44 days of blockade along with frequent hartals have virtually cut the capital off from other parts of the country leaving severe affect on trade and business. The loss to the economy and business is enormous.
He also told the envoys that the ongoing political violence has so far cost 88 lives and the number is growing on daily basis. “Violent political programme is not only badly affecting the country’s business, export-import and retail business are also suffering seriously from it.
Expressing serious concern over the ongoing political violence, the FBCCI chief urged all political parties to work together to resolve the current political impasse through dialogue. He called upon the BNP-led 20-party alliance to stop the ongoing violence during the countrywide nonstop blockade.
He also requested the foreign diplomats and representatives of international agencies to play their due role in bringing back peace and stability in the country. Condemning the ongoing political violence, the foreign diplomats said, democracy cannot be strengthened through destructive activities and asked the government to give democratic space to the opposition.
They also urged the government to hold constructive dialogue with the opposition to find a peaceful solution to the crisis. The newly appointed US ambassador Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat said “Like my colleagues, we have called for the end to violence”,  We are optimistic that Bangladeshis will be able to resolve the crisis, she said.
“The violence must stop and there must be space for peaceful political programmes, Canadian High Commissioner Benoit-Pierre Laramee said. Russian ambassador Alexander Nikolaev held the view that the political situation is a matter of great concern which may put threat to the process of development.
Ambassador of South Korea Lee Yan Young, said: he hoped the crisis should end through compromise and consensus among political parties as soon as possible.

Source: Weekly Holiday