In a bid to keep the wheels of the export industry turning during the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, garment exporters have formally requested the government to keep all customs houses and relevant bank branches operational during the public and weekly holidays.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) sent a letter to the Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) recently, specifically urging that operations remain active from March 17 to March 23.

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BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan, told UNB that the garment sector is entirely dependent on fashion cycles and strict delivery windows. Failure to ship goods within the "lead time" dictated by foreign buyers carries a high risk of order cancellations.

"In the current global economic climate, missing a shipment deadline doesn't just mean a financial loss for the entrepreneur; the country loses vital foreign exchange and, more importantly, the long-term trust of international buyers," he said.

The exporters have requested that the following entities remain functional during the holiday period (excluding the day of Eid):

The BGMEA requested Chittagong Custom House and all other land and sea customs stations, Relevant Bank Branches involved in export-import documentation and Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) offices.

Industry insiders noted that during previous years, the government’s decision to keep ports and customs operational during holidays significantly aided the sector's resilience. The BGMEA emphasized that seamless coordination between the port, customs, and banks is the only way to navigate the challenges posed by recent global market volatility.

"We cannot maintain our export capacity without the continuous support of these stakeholders," a BGMEA representative told UNB. "Ensuring that the supply chain remains unbroken during the festive break is essential to preventing a major setback for our primary export earner."