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How does violence affect exporters? Evidence from political strikes in Bangladesh

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  • Reshad N. Ahsan
  • Kazi Iqbal

Abstract

Using novel daily data, we examine the impact of political violence on firm‐level export activity. Our data cover the universe of political strikes and export transactions in Bangladesh during 2010–2013 and allow us to examine the effects of these strikes at a highly granular level. We first show that multiday political strikes lower the likelihood that a firm will export by 6.30 percentage points. We then examine whether these disruptions result in adverse effects on export prices. Given that this violence creates greater risk of missed shipments, importers may respond by demanding lower prices as compensation. We provide the first evidence of such adverse price effects of political violence. Our results suggest that during July to December, 2013, when there was a multiday political strike every 5 days, the prices of time‐sensitive Bangladeshi products declined by 1.59%.

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  • Reshad N. Ahsan & Kazi Iqbal, 2020. "How does violence affect exporters? Evidence from political strikes in Bangladesh," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 599-625, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:reviec:v:28:y:2020:i:3:p:599-625
    DOI: 10.1111/roie.12464
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    1. Anderton Charles H. & Anderton Roxane A., 2021. "The Trade Disruption Hypothesis Fails for State-Sponsored Genocides and Mass Atrocities: Why It Matters," Peace Economics, Peace Science, and Public Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 27(2), pages 143-168, May.
    2. Sytsma, Tobias, 2019. "Rules of Origin Liberalization with Multi-Product Firms: Theory and Evidence from Bangladeshi Apparel Exporters," MPRA Paper 95956, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Korn, Tobias & Stemmler, Henry, 2022. "Your Pain, My Gain? On the Trade Relocation Effects from Civil Conflict," VfS Annual Conference 2022 (Basel): Big Data in Economics 264095, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    4. Korn, Tobias & Stemmler, Henry, 2022. "Your Pain, My Gain? Estimating the Trade Relocation Effects from Civil Conflict," Hannover Economic Papers (HEP) dp-698, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät.

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