Leaders of the country’s apparel sector and truck-covered van association have urged the government to raise vigilance of law enforcing agencies to prevent incidents of RMG export goods on Dhaka-Chattogram highway.
Leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van Owners’ Association held a meeting at BGMEA office in the city on Sunday, according to a statement.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan, Vice-president Md Shahidullah Azim, Executive President of Bangladesh Truck Covered Van Owners Association Syed Md Bakhtiar, and its General Secretary Rustom Ali Khan, among others, were present at the meeting.
Mr Hassan informed the meeting that export and imported goods are often being stolen on Dhaka-Chattogram highway resulting in financial loss of the respective factories.
It also damages the image of the country to the global buyers, the statement quoted the president.
BGMEA requested Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van Owners’ Association to ensure GPS tracker installation in all goods-laden cargo vans as a measure to stop stealing during transportation.
The meeting stressed the need for increased vigilance of law enforcement agencies including Highway Police, Rapid Action Battalion and District Police on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway and also on Mirpur-Dhowr road to prevent the theft of RMG export goods.
The BGMEA requested measures to prevent exportable and imported goods from being drenched and fixing the fare of trucks and covered vans and refrain from hiking transport fare arbitrarily.
On the other hand, truck and covered van owners urged all garment factories to preserve the photos of drivers and helpers, and travel documents including licences of trucks and covered vans as a precautionary measure.
Leaders of both the trade bodies requested the Roads and Highways Department to carry out repair works on the Langabandh Bridge in Sonargaon on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway during the upcoming Eid holidays instead of the present schedule on July 12 to 14 saying it would require all goods-laden cargo vans to travel around 100 kilometres additionally on an alternative route.
It would delay the transportation of RMG cargoes and increase the risk of missing timely shipment, added the statement.
