Pakistan Jute Mills Association (PJMA) has asked the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Suraj Vaidya to intervene immediately to resolve the crisis due to the ban on the export of raw jute by Bangladesh.
“You are requested to intervene immediately into the situation to get the ban abolished in the best national interest of both Pakistan and Bangladesh,” said PJMA Chairman Ahsan Ahmed Khan. “You may like to activate all diplomatic and governmental channels of the member states to get the matter resolved on priority. We believe that your swift action shall spare the exporters and importers on either side serious problems ahead,” PJMA’s letter continued.
The PJMA chairman expressed his deep concern on the ban imposed by the government of Bangladesh on exports of raw jute from November 3, adding that the matter is quite serious as Pakistan, being one of the biggest importer of jute from Bangladesh, fulfills all basic raw material requirements of its jute industry from single country imports.
The letter reiterated that SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been chartered for the purpose of promoting and regularizing the economic (trade) and other developmental relations between all its members. The strengthening of the relations between these countries through cooperation/collaboration to achieve better future for its citizens is one of its objectives. The SAARC countries have further been tied up through SAFTA and SAPTA.
“It is also believed that the chamber is to play its role in case any confusion, misunderstanding or any unfair act towards the mutual trade is taken by any member state. The ban on export of raw jute has come without any forewarning. And the jolt thus received shall have drastic impact upon our industry; pushing it into deep and non-recoverable crisis,” the letter said.
“The storage of the crop yields especially of wheat, rice, grains and potatoes etc. are likely to go waste throughout the country given a scenario of ‘no supply of sacks’, the lifting and the transportation of the crops from farms to markets shall also get adversely affected and thus the small farmers would be worst hit who would not be able to sell their crops without the required Bardana (Jute Bags),” the letter added.
The PJMA chairman requested the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry president to use his office to immediately release consignments for which LCs had already been established before the imposition of the ban. “The raw jute consignments on the verge of exports and for which LCs had already been opened before the enactment of the ban notification have also fallen prey to the immediate decision. The government of Bangladesh should not renege on prior commitments and signed contracts of their trade and business community,” the letter added.