Businesses around the opposition BNP headquarters in the capital Dhaka’s Naya Paltan are incurring “insurmountable losses” as political programmes over war crimes trial and general elections are forcing them to keep the shutters down.
Even the banks along the stretches of the street from Fakirerpool to Bijoynagar had been found closed on Sunday and Monday during the Opposition-called “March for Democracy”.
Police cordoned off the road from both sides leading to the BNP office housed at building number 28/1 on VIP Road and restricted movements.
Along the road are there at least five big wholesale clothes market, apart from banks and financial institutions, car show-rooms, residential hotels and restaurants, community centres, and small businesses.
The Opposition is holding the march to what BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia says stop Jan 5 elections that it is boycotting.
Palwell Super Market, Gazi Bhavan Shopping Centre, City Heart Shopping Complex, Jonaki Super Market and Scout Market are beraing the brunt.
Jasim Uddin, General Secretary of Palwell Super Market’s shop owners’ association, told bdnews24.com that they used to supply about 80 percent of the total imported clothes in Dhaka.
“But now we are incurring losses due to the siege,” he said, “because customers cannot come”.
Nesar Ahmed, President of Gazi Bhavan Shopping Complex, echoed Jasim.
“This is winter. We stockpiled winter clothes but cannot sell them,” he told bdnews24.com.
Managers of residential hotels like Orchard Plaza, Hotel The Capital and Hotel Victory said they were getting “very few” customers due to restrictions on movement.
IFIC Bank, Rupali Bank, Agrani Bank, ICB Islami Bank, Pubali Bank, Al Arafa Islami Bank, City Bank, and Janata Bank branches had been found closed on Sunday and Monday on visits.
Apart from the banks, agent offices of insuranc companies and money changers were also found virtually closed.
A few who were operating with their limited workers said they did not get customers in the last two days.
There are at least 15 car sales centres that include SF Car, Hedayet Car, General Motors, Auto Define and Car Plus.
Businesses around the Awami League central office at Bangabandhu Avenue used to suffer during the BNP-led alliance government’s tenure due to political programmes.
But this time it is worse.
According to the Board of Investment (BOI) statistics, both local and foreign investments are on the decline due to political instability.
In 2012-13 financial year, 1,457 projects were registered — 278 fewer than those in the previous year. In the last four months of the current fiscal year, only 270 projects were registered.
The situation was similar in case of foreign investments – in 2012-13 fiscal, 219 projects were registered – two fewer than last year.
Between July and October, only 35 foreign investments were registered but most of them are yet to launch, thus closing the possible sources of employment.
Bangladesh politics turned increasingly volatile during the past six to seven months with an approaching general election.
Violence during the Opposition’s agitation programmes has left scores dead and many injured.
Lately, Opposition agitation intensified with the ruling Awami League installing a multi-party interim cabinet, from which the BNP stayed away, and the Election Commission announcing the election schedule with Jan 5 as the polling date.
Source: Bd news24
