DHAKA: The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) urged Jamaat-e-Islami to withdraw its fresh hartal called for Wednesday and Thursday for the sake of business-friendly atmosphere.

Expressing deep concern over the hartal enforced by Jamaat, country’s apex business organization requested to withdraw the strike.

The FBCCI made the plea in a press release on Monday.

The news release said, “Such nonstop hartal is creating an adverse impact on the country’s economy and disrupting civic life.”

They also said that hartal is harmful to the students and a threat to education in the country.

In this circumstance, any attempt to create chaos through hartal is not expected, it added.

“Jamaat’s ongoing 72-hour hartal is upsetting civic life, production system, product supply and regular activities. New shutdown announced by Jamaat will adversely affect the country’s trade and business as well as the economy,” it added.

The press release also said that business and investment friendly environment has been prevailing in the country after a political unrest centering the national election of January 5.

At this moment the consistent hartals will have a negative impact on the country’s economy and image. It would discourage foreign investment, the release added.

However, Jamaat called another 24–hour fresh shutdown for Wednesday to protest the Supreme Court’s verdict upholding the death penalty to its assistant secretary general Muhammad Kamaruzzaman for his crimes against humanity during the country’s liberation war.

Earlier, Jamaat called a 24-hour hartal for Thursday in protest against the death penalty of its policymaker Mir Quasem Ali for war crimes.

BDST: 1815 HRS, NOV 03, 2014