IT is disconcerting news that because of some form of standoff between the exporters of fresh vegetables and the authorities of the Bangladesh Biman Airlines, the country is losing much-needed foreign currency. According to the aggrieved leaders of the exporters' association, they have lost business worth half a million dollars in three days. By any estimate the figure appears to be quite substantial for a developing country like Bangladesh.

The untoward situation is learnt to have arisen after Biman authorities recently increased the freight rate by 25 per cent in one go. Though the authorities argue in favour of increasing the freight charges to make its operations 'cost-effective', the exporters are of the opinion that with the enhanced rate they would not be able to find any buyer. The stalemate has resulted in the suspension of export of vegetables, fruits and betel leaf to the markets in the Middle-East and Europe since 1 May.

Among the few produces of the country that fetch valuable foreign currency perishable vegetables and fruits feature quite prominently. According to one study, in the last fiscal the total volume of export was worth 45 million dollars. There is also a healthy growth rate as far as demand for these produces is concerned in various markets of the world. And Bangladesh Biman Airlines is the sole carrier of these perishable goods, as other airlines do not agree to carry such items.

We feel it would not be too difficult to reach an amicable solution to end the impasse if the two parties can prepare the mindset and sit across the table to review the ground realities in a collective prospective. The looming threat of losing the markets to other countries should be the common concern to work out a solution.