Farm sector worst-hit by blockade

Finance Minister AMA Muhith has said the agriculture sector which has been growing at a rate of 3 to 4 percent over the last six years appears to be the worst affected by the ongoing political turmoil.

“Rural people who switched to producing flowers and vegetables have lost everything they had,” the finance minister told reporters at his secretariat office yesterday.

Muhith said the country's agriculture sector saw a revolution but difficulties in transporting goods due to the blockade have been taking a toll on the sector.

Although the situation has improved slightly, smooth connectivity has yet to be established, he said.

Asked whether the ministry had made any assessment of the loss caused by blockade, Muhith said they would do it by this month.

Protesting the loss inflicted on their businesses by the blockade, the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) last week had held a programme, where it presented figures on the economic loss of various sectors.

With sectors including garment, agriculture and transport bearing the brunt of the turmoil, the economy has already counted around Tk 75,000 crore in losses since the BNP-led alliance launched the nonstop blockade on January 6, the FBCCI estimated.

According to the FBCCI statistics, the garment sector was hit hard by the blockade as it suffered a loss of 36 percent (of the total amount).

Muhith disagreed with the statistics given by the garment sector about its loss, and said, “I don't think the textile sector has suffered much ... That is my assessment.”

However, the minister said the country's garment industry would face an image crisis if the blockade continued. The sector might see a fall in getting orders in future.

Criticising the initiative of a group of eminent citizens for ending the political impasse, Muhith said the civil society should have first told BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to stop her destructive programmes, which they did not do.

He said the blockade cannot go on like this and it is mainly the responsibility of the BNP to normalise the situation.

“I don't want to say that the BNP is such a worthless party that they don't know what is good for the country and what is bad for them ... Sorry,” the minister said.