The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has requested all garment factories in the country to remain closed for one day on Wednesday (December 31), following the death of former prime minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.
The request was made in a letter sent to the owners of BGMEA member garment factories on Tuesday (December 30).
The letter said that the government has declared three days of state mourning and one day of general holiday on the death of three-time former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.
Expressing solidarity with the government’s decision, a special request has been made to declare one day of general holiday on December 31 in all garment factories belonging to BGMEA.
Meanwhile, BGMEA has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Begum Khaleda Zia.
The organization’s president Mahmud Hasan Khan said in a condolence message: “We, the entire garment industry family, are deeply saddened and shocked by the death of Begum Khaleda Zia.” The country has lost a guardian and a timeless patriotic leader. This irreplaceable void in national life cannot be filled.
He also said Begum Khaleda Zia’s sincerity and timely and courageous decisions, especially in the global expansion of the ready-made garment industry, will forever be a milestone in the progress of this industry. Her economic philosophy and working life will remain immortal in the history of the country’s industry and trade.
The condolence message further said that Begum Khaleda Zia played a leading role in placing the economy of Bangladesh on a strong foundation and paving the way for modern industrialization.
In the early 1990s, under the strong leadership of her government, the full-fledged journey of a free-market economy began in Bangladesh, which opened new horizons in the development of the private sector.
