RMG exporters struggling to send samples to buyers

Ready-made garment (RMG) exporters in the country are struggling to send samples to their buyers as international courier services, such as Federal Express and DHL, have currently stopped their operations in Bangladesh due to internet blackout centring anti-quota protests.

Some exporters are sending their samples through Kolkata airport while a few others are flying themselves to meet their buyers – but at a much higher cost and hassle.

Before getting an export order, exporters need to send samples to buyers, and prior to the shipments of ready products, they have to send samples again for the final approval.

"As internet blackout prolongs and international courier services remain stopped for the last five days, we have to take help from Kolkata airport to get internet connection and send our production samples to buyers," Shovon Islam, managing director of Sparrow Group, one of the largest exporters in the country, told The Business Standard.

Also, a director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), he said, "In the last three days, we had to send one of our employees to the Kolkata airport for completing the booking process of samples. We have sent a large number of clothing samples through this process."

Some big buyers including H&M, Zara, and Walmart have local offices in Dhaka, but they are also unable to contact with buyers regarding samples or to convey other updates.

Arshad Jamal Dipu, managing director of Tusuka Group, told TBS, "Some exporters manage to send samples by sending their own officials to the buyer's country, which involves massive costs."

The sector insiders believe these processes are rare and most of them do not have the capacity to send hand carry or through airports in other countries.

Kazi Iftequer Hossain, former president of the Bangladesh Garment Buying-House Association (BGBA), told TBS, "All international courier services are internet dependent. If anyone want to book a consignment of samples, they have to get an air bill

number which is generated through internet system. As the internet system is off, the country's courier system can't be able to pass air bill to the destination country.

"My samples are also stuck in the courier office for the last six days."

He said, "Now we are unable to contact our buyers, even not able to send them SMS. I fear we will receive bad impressions from them when the communication is restored, and they may lose confidence in us."

Imranur Rahman, a director at BGMEA, however, doesn't think so.

"This situation would not be a major problem for exporters as the buyers can comprehend our actual situation," he said.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to resume internet service with limited access, and exporters have welcomed the move.