Bangladesh's apparel export to Russia is being seriously hampered due to the ongoing war in Ukraine as a large number of containers loaded with readymade garments (RMG) bound for Russia are stuck at the nine off-docks in Chattogram port.
According to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), a total of 169 TEUs of containers loaded with RMG products are waiting at the port's off-docks waiting to be shipped to their export destination Russia.
The containers were stacked up at the off-docks just after the war between Russia and Ukraine had started.
Meanwhile, the exporters are taking steps to send the containers by using an alternative route.
Industry insiders said though the market for RMG products from Bangladesh in Russia is not very big unlike Europe and America exporters sent RMG items worth US$481.23 million to Russia in the first eight months of the current fiscal 2021-22.
It is mentionable, Bangladeshi exported RMG products worth $140.03 million to Russia in January and February of the current fiscal.
But Russian buyers stopped placing orders after the war started between Ukraine and Russia.
Moreover, the goods ordered previously are yet to be exported due to the war-induced uncertainty.
Sources said exporters have taken steps to send some containers to Poland and Turkey failing to send these to Russia directly.
An initiative has been taken to send a total of 86 containers from Port Link Logistic (an off-dock) through alternative route to Russia.
Secretary General of Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association (BICDA) Ruhul Amin Sikdar said, "Many containers loaded with RMG products are waiting at the off-docks. The containers are scheduled to be sent to Russia. We are taking steps to send those by using an alternative route. If we can send these through an alternative route, the containers will reach Russia within the stipulated time."
First Vice President of BGMEA Sayed Najrul Islam said, "Many containers are in the off-docks waiting to be exported to Russia. Besides, huge goods made for export to Russia are also waiting at the factories. But due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, we cannot send the containers to their destination."
"Apart from this, placing new orders from Russia for RMG goods has been stopped from the current month. If new orders are not placed, the RMG sector will face crisis for the war. I think if the war gets longer, our crisis will be deeper," he added.
