A top business body has put losses inflicted by the BNP's blockade for the past 16 days at a staggering Tk 365 billion, or nearly 2.7 percent of Bangladesh's GDP.
Published : 22 Jan 2015, 09:07 PM
The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) President Hossain Khaled on Thursday came up with the figure at a news conference on Thursday.
He argued the daily GDP amount in the last fiscal was Tk 37.011 billion.
"Statistics show our economy sustained nearly Tk 364.46 billion losses since Jan 5, which is 2.7 percent of the GDP," he added.
Khaled expected the bickering politicians would find a way out of the crisis to spare the economy from further losses.
The new year began amid heightened political tensions over the first anniversary of the last national polls boycotted by the BNP.
Businesses have been expressing concerns over a political unrest.
BNP chief Khaleda Zia, who leads the 20-Party Alliance, called the blockade on Jan 5 ignoring calls of the business community.
So far, at least 30 people have been killed while violence on highways has seriously affected shipments of goods leading to financial losses and cancellation of export orders.
According to the DCCI, the apparel sector suffered the biggest loss of Tk 134.8 billion. The transport sector lost Tk 48 billion, while agriculture, housing and tourism sectors, respectively, counted losses worth Tk 46.09 billion, Tk 40 billion and Tk 33.6 billion.
The government counted Tk 5.29 billion in lost revenue from the land ports and the Bangabandhu Bridge, it said.
"The DCCI believes political parties must reach an agreement through effective talks to solve any political crisis to ensure that the economy is not further damaged," Khaled added.