According to industry sources, after the killings of two foreigners, business executives from global clothing giants H&M Inditex and Gap have cancelled trips to Dhaka this month. This has caused anxiety for Bangladesh’s $25 billion garment export sector.

For the year-end Christmas season, Bangladeshi suppliers to the world’s top brands said they didn’t expect the disruptions to hurt their orders. However, the pressure on an industry is increased by the attacks. The industry faces competition from other low-wage countries and is trying to repair its safety image after several fatal accidents.

Britain warned of more attacks after an Italian aid worker and a Japanese man were shot dead in a span of few days, and the US and Canada asked their diplomats to restrict their movements. Australia too, cancelled a cricket tour in the wake of the attacks.

However, Bangladesh’s government rejected the claim by the Islamic State and blamed the growing violence in the country on its domestic political opponents trying to show it in poor light.

Siddiqur Rahman, Chief of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association said that their western buyers panicked after the killing of the two foreigners and some buyers cancelled their visits during the peak time when they place more orders.

H&M spokeswoman Anna Eriksson said that they were monitoring the situation in Bangladesh closely and they were taking appropriate security measures. Besides, she said, they were also in close dialogue with other brands regarding the situation. Gap, on the other hand, refused to comment on a change in its travel plans. Tesco said that they had asked its employees to be vigilant and consider their movements carefully, but had not stopped business travel to Bangladesh.

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