Country's clothing industry owners on Thursday urged the government to allow keeping open the export-oriented factories during the next 14-day 'lockdown', which is scheduled to begin on July 23.
They made the plea in a letter to the Prime Minister, following issuance of a notification on the restrictions by the cabinet division on July 13.
According to the notification, all the industrial units will remain shut for two weeks in a bid to contain further spread of coronavirus disease that is killing over 200 people and infecting over 10,000 people a day during the last couple of days.
The apparel makers said that they were receiving a large volume of work orders after easing the pandemic situation in the main export destinations.
Keeping the factories shut at this time will force the buyers to shift orders to other manufacturing hubs, they argued.
The buyers gave less price during the last 15-month period of pandemic, forcing the factory owners to incur losses. Some even had to close down their factories failing to cope up with the massive financial losses, the letter mentioned.
"Now it's time to make a turn around," it reads, adding that all the markets including Europe and America were now opening while the factories have adequate work orders.
The letter also mentioned that there is a huge pressure on making shipment of goods in time and in case of delays, they were being forced to send the cargos by air.
"The unusual price hike of yarn and, shortage of container and vessels have affected exports and the factory closure for nearly 20 days will cause loss of work orders."
The apparel makers also argued that the garment factory workers stay at a safe environment as they remain at factories almost 11 hours a day, thus they are less exposed to get infected.
If a long 20-day leave is granted, the workers will go to the areas which are the Covid-19 hotspot, and thus the deadly virus will spread further, they said.
Providing workers' salary for the month of July just after 20 days of closure will also be a tough task, they added
"The country's export sector will be saved if the Eid vacation is shortened and factories are opened immediately after the occasion," the letter mentioned.
President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) AKM Salim Osman, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Faruque Hassan, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) president Mohammad Ali Khokon, Bangladesh Terry Towel and Linen Manufacturers and Exporters Association chairman M Shahadat Hossain, and Bangladesh Garments Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) president Abdul Kader Khan signed the letter.
syful-islam@outlook.com