Direct air cargo ban sparks concern in B'desh

15 Mar '16

2 min read

As a ban on direct cargo flights from Dhaka threatens to hit garment exporters hard, the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has urged the Bangladesh government to work jointly with the governments of the UK and Australia to improve the security requirement for lifting the ban imposed by the two countries.

“ DCCI feels that if this ban is not lifted soon, Bangladeshi exporters will have to export their products through Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand or Dubai which will definitely increase cost of doing business,” it said in a press release.

On March 8, the UK government banned air cargo directly from Dhaka citing Bangladesh's failure to meet international security requirements. Australia also banned direct cargo flight from Bangladesh citing the same concern on December 19 last year.

DCCI is apprehensive that the ban will have a serious impact on the country's export to the UK, the third largest garment export destination after Germany. It said the government should seriously look into the matter.

Last week, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) too had urged the government to take necessary steps to ensure that the UK's temporary ban on air cargo directly from Dhaka to the country is lifted soon. It expressed fears that the ban could badly hit the country's garment exports.

The Bangladesh government has formed a seven-member steering committee to improve the security standard at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon will act as the chairman of the committee. The decision came following a meeting between the high-level delegations of Bangladesh and the UK, the Civil Aviation Ministry said in a press release. (SH)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India

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