Advertisement

Hong Kong garment makers step up security in Bangladesh factories after terrorist attack

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Fast Retailing's Uniqlo store in Tokyo, Japan. The apparel giant has halted non-essential business travel to Bangladesh in the wake of Friday’s terrorist attack. Photo: Reuters

The latest deadly terrorist attack against foreigners in Bangladesh has sent a chill through major Hong Kong-listed garment manufacturers that operate in the country, with Japanese apparel giant Uniqlo halting all but critical business travel to the world’s second largest garment exporting nation.

Advertisement

Separately, a senior executive from Hong Kong clothing giant Mainland Headwear Holdings, which operates a factory in Bangladesh, told the South China Morning Post that it immediately requested local authorities to step up security procedures around its facility on concerns over the safety of its expatriate staff there.

The moves were made after as many as 18 foreigners, including Japanese, Italians and a US citizen, were killed when a group of Islamist militants stormed an upmarket cafe in Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital, last Friday.

“At the moment, all Japanese staff are asked to remain home until further notice,” a spokeswoman for Fast Retailing, the Hong Kong-listed multinational fashion retailer of the Uniqlo casual clothing brand, told the Post in an email.

“All business travel except for critical [visits] to Bangladesh are suspended until further notice... we will also keep monitoring the situation closely,” she added.

Advertisement
Ngan Po-ling, deputy chairman of Mainland Headwear, has requested increased security at its factory in Bangladesh. Photo: Simon Song
Ngan Po-ling, deputy chairman of Mainland Headwear, has requested increased security at its factory in Bangladesh. Photo: Simon Song
The Tokyo-based apparel brand has around 140 staff in the South Asian country, including 10 Japanese. “All local and Japanese staff are safe,”the spokeswoman said.
loading
Advertisement