Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign buyers could come to Bangladesh with an on-arrival visa. They get this visa with the recommendation letter of BGMEA, an organisation of garment manufacturers and exporters. But due to COVID-19, this system has been closed for a year and a half. The top organisation in the sector has demanded the re-introduction of this system in the interest of the garment industry. According to them, exports will grow sustainably if foreign buyers can come to the country without any hassle at the airport.
BGMEA has recently written to the Ministry of Commerce and Bangladesh Police to re-issue incoming visas to foreign buyers and guests associated with the garment industry.
According to the letter, BGMEA plays an important role in the country’s economy. Garment buyers who buy from Bangladesh and foreigners associated with the industry have long been receiving on-arrival visas through BGMEA recommendations. This visa has recently been stopped. As a result, foreign buyers are facing various problems while traveling to Bangladesh. However, if the issuance of visas to the buyers is not easy and hassle-free, the buyers will be discouraged from making the purchase order; which will harm the economy of the country.
People from the sector also said that the top export markets of Bangladesh are Europe and America. The eyes of the buyers of these countries are now on Bangladesh as Christmas is coming up. But it is quite a problem to enter the country by overcoming various obstacles of the civil aviation authorities at the airport. Many buyers do not want to come to Bangladesh to avoid harassment at the airport as on-arrival visas for foreign buyers are closed. They requested the country’s garment entrepreneurs to come to Singapore or Bangkok for discussions. As a result, the image of the country is in crisis, at the same time the cost of entrepreneurs is increasing.
