Political agitation in Bangladesh cripples supply chain inclusive cement

For the last four weeks, consecutive political agitation in Bangladesh has negatively impacted the country's economy. The supply chain has been severely affected, including transporting commodities and cement from factories to end users. The issue is due to a lack of loading trucks on the roads, the fear of looting, etc. This problem is not limited to the cement industry, as every industry is feeling the heat of the ongoing back-to-back nationwide strikes called by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami in Dhaka since 29 October.

Due to the strikes and blockades, trucks cannot operate on the streets, causing hindrance to the transportation of essential items. Business people, exporters, and importers have voiced concerns about the political unrest and the parties' blockade programmes.

The President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Mahbubul Alam, has called for an end to the politics of blockades, shop and office closures, saying that a day of such protests costs the economy up to BDK65bn. He believes that a strike or blockade causes a loss of BDT65bn (US$589.5m) a day and harms the economy.

Traders are not receiving their pre-booked products on time, and suppliers and goods producers are panicking due to the transportation disruptions caused by political programmes. The industrial sector faces production disruptions as the supply of raw materials is hampered by strikes and blockades. If this situation continues, many factories will shut down.

Bangladesh is an emerging economy, and private sector entrepreneurs have set up several industrial units here with significant effort. Therefore, ending the political unrest and restoring the country's economic stability is crucial.