DHAKA: Country’s top garment organization Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is set to observe a token hunger strike on Saturday protesting the political unrest.

Sources said that the program will be held at 11:00am in front of the BGMEA building in city’s Karwan Bazar area.

However, BGMEA president Atiqul Islam on Wednesday called for arranging the symbolic hunger strike program in an emergency meeting, jointly organized by BGMEA, BKMEA and BTMA.

Atiqul said that they would form a committee with the representation of all organizations related to the garment industry.

Moreover, the garment owners will attend the hunger strike and later, the committee members will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and chiefs of other political organizations to discuss the challenges in garment sector, he added.

The top garment leader said that the sector suffered a direct loss of Tk 6,710 crore in January due to the political turmoil.

On the other hand, a discount of Tk 5,000 crore was made for the delayed shipment, he added.

According to Atiqul, garment orders of Tk 10,000 had been cancelled in the same time.

Exporter Association Bangladesh (EAB) President Abdus Salam Murshedy, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) former president Asif Ibrahim and Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) President Tapan Chowdhury were among others present at the meeting.

BDST: 2011 HRS, FEB 11, 2015