Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) requested global apparel buyers to nominate more shipping liners and off-docks to help timely shipment of export containers.

BGMEA President Faruque Hassan made the request at a meeting with stakeholders including main-line operator (MLO) and buyers’ representatives, held on 5 August to discuss ways of addressing container stockpile and vessel shortage problem which has been impacting exports of RMG industry.

BGMEA Vice President Miran Ali, Directors Asif Ashraf, Md. Mohiuddin Rubel, Abdullah Hil Rakib, former Director Ashikur Rahman Tuhin, Chairman of Standing Committee on Port and Shipping Hasan Abdullah, BKMEA Director Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, H&M’s Regional Country Manager for Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman, Country Head of Marks and Spencer Shwapna Bhowmick and Country Manager of Maersk Angshuman Mitra Mustafi attended the meeting held at BGMEA office in Dhaka.

BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said that export containers loaded with RMG products are facing delay of additional 10-15 days at Chattogram port due to buyers’ nomination of selective shipping lines and off-docks.

He requested apparel buyers, including H&M and M&S, to allow more shipping liners and off-docks as it would reduce pressure on selective shipping lines in shipments of exported goods.

Earlier, BGMEA in a letter requested global apparel buyers through Buyers' Forum, a group of the representatives of major apparel buyers, to nominate as many forwarders as possible to deliver the shipment on time.