Issuing a joint statement to underline their disappointment with the bandh culture, eight top chambers of commerce have asked all the political parties to refrain from calling bandhs, which has proved so detrimental to the state.

The statement was signed by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Bengal National Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Indian Chamber of Commerce, the Bharat Chamber of Commerce, Calcutta Chamber of Commerce, the Confederation of Indian Industry’s eastern region office, Merchants Chamber of Commerce and Oriental Chamber of Commerce.

The chambers have called for the creation of a joint forum, in which all stakeholders in the state’s development can participate to boldly chalk out a sensitisation programme against strikes.

The statement cited a recent study that pointed out how bandhs and strikes not only led to a tangible loss of hundreds of crores of rupees a day, but an equally massive intangible loss by way of a damage to the state’s image and negative signals to potential investors.

The chambers have appealed to the citizens to demonstrate against the changing work culture. “It goes without saying that the bandhs are detrimental to the business and economic activities in the state. It demotes the reputation of the state among the Indian and the International business community,” said Sanjay Budhia, Vice-President of the Indian Chamber of Commerce. Such a practice should be done away with irrespective of the political party that calls a bandh, he said.