Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday termed the current political impasse a national crisis and assured apparel exporters of incentives to help them recoup losses.

"This [the political crisis] has turned into a national crisis now. It has become difficult to keep up the momentum of development activities. Two months' political crisis has created an abnormal situation in the country," Muhith told business leaders at his secretariat in Dhaka.

The minister said the government should do something for the businesses from all export-oriented sectors, including textile and garments.

"But, I cannot say now what should be done for you. I will hold discussions in our internal meetings and declare something for you."

He also said he does not see any end of the crisis very soon. “Now it is the duty of the BNP to end the crisis."

Muhith was addressing the leaders of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, and Bangladesh Textile Mills Association.

BGMEA President Atiqul Islam sought deferred payment facility for the garment sector for their industrial term loans.

A deferred payment is a loan arrangement in which the borrower is allowed to make payments at a specified time in future.

Islam also demanded the government should release all due incentives as soon as possible - such as 5 percent cash incentives on garment export, incentives for new export destinations, tax benefits and so on.

The BGMEA chief also called for withdrawing additional charges at Chittagong port for the delay in taking delivery of import containers.

He also demanded continuation of the current tax at source at 0.3 percent for the next five years and a special incentive of 3 percent on export value for exports to euro zone.

FBCCI President Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed said the government should stand by all export-oriented sectors.

MCCI President Syed Nasim Manzur said Bangladesh has already lost business worth around $1 billion in the EU market in the last one year as Pakistan won a “GSP plus' status from the bloc.

This is a hard time for us. Please help us stay afloat," Manzur said.