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Several businesses owned by expatriate Bangladeshis in Paris have been vandalised and looted amid protests in France over the rising cost of living. Bangladeshi business owners and other expatriates are now worried about their businesses and personal safety amid fears of renewed violence.
The French government has announced the deployment of around 70,000 police officers and gendarmes across the country on Saturday to maintain order.
During last week’s protests, a mobile phone accessories and electronics shop owned by a Bangladeshi expatriate named Hasan in Paris was extensively vandalised and looted. The businessman said goods worth around €90,000 had been stolen from his shop, leaving him facing substantial financial losses.
Bangladeshi expatriates involved in money transfer and currency exchange businesses in various parts of Paris are also deeply concerned. Entrepreneurs operating small outlets for financial service providers such as Ria and MoneyGram fear their shops could be targeted if street violence erupts again. They said such financial service outlets had been particularly vulnerable to looting during previous protests.
According to Paris municipal authorities, 451 shops had been vandalised in the French capital by October 21 in connection with the violence on October 17 and 18. The French government estimates that several thousand businesses have been affected nationwide.
Alan Khan Chowdhury, owner of Union Mart in Paris, said business activity had come to a standstill amid the unrest. He said shop owners were increasingly concerned about the security of their establishments and expressed hope that the situation would return to normal soon, bringing relief to people’s daily lives.
Ordinary expatriate workers are also facing uncertainty. Monir Hossain, who works as a food delivery rider in Paris, said the disruption caused by the protests had made deliveries extremely difficult and left workers constantly worried about their safety.
The situation has also increased risks for expatriates without valid residence documents. A daily-wage worker in Paris said heightened police surveillance and document checks had made it difficult for him to go out to work.
Local business organisations in France have taken initiatives to support businesses affected by the violence. The French Federation of Trade Associations has begun collecting information about affected establishments and arranging assistance. The Confederation of French Commerce has also expressed solidarity with affected business owners and workers.
Meanwhile, the chambers of commerce and industry in Paris and the Île-de-France region are helping affected businesses prepare insurance documents, apply for compensation and access administrative support.
The French government’s announced assistance measures include state-funded partial unemployment benefits for eligible workers, extensions for tax and social contribution payments, interest-free loans of up to €50,000, and special funds for eligible small businesses.
Bangladeshi business associations and community leaders in France need to coordinate efforts to help expatriate entrepreneurs access these legal and financial support programmes offered by local authorities.
Despite growing concern over the possibility of further violence, no official comprehensive figures are available on the number of Bangladeshi-owned businesses affected.
The protests in France have been fuelled by discontent over the rising cost of living, higher fuel prices and various issues affecting educational institutions. Students, the CGT trade union and activists from the Yellow Vest movement have taken part in the demonstrations.
Following last week’s violence, arson and clashes, authorities have adopted heightened security measures ahead of Saturday’s protests.
Separately, one person was killed and four others injured in a shooting on Friday in the Paris suburbs of Trappes and La Verrière. Counterterrorism authorities are investigating the incident, but it remains unclear whether the shooting is directly linked to the ongoing protests. Source: Prothom Alo.
