Notwithstanding fresh pledges from the Bangladesh government, gas provision to industrial belts has shown no sign of picking up thus far.
This has compelled nearly 900 textile mills, or half the nation’s textile plants to halt operations entirely. Even ready-made garment factories too are functioning well beneath their capacity.
On 6 August, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood reassured sector stakeholders that gas provision would strengthen. Yet no meaningful uplift has materialised as of yesterday, leaving factory owners exasperated.
Plant owners across Narayanganj, Savar, Gazipur, Mymensingh, Manikganj and other manufacturing belts reported a marginal uplift in gas provision last week in certain zones. Conditions, however, worsened thereafter, reverting to earlier levels or turning even bleaker.
Showkat Aziz Russell, President of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) said that upwards of 900 of the association’s more than 1,800-member textile plants were presently shut entirely owing to gas provision breakdowns, TBS reported.
“It isn’t merely textile plants, gas-reliant steel, paper, particle board and ceramic operations are also grappling with severe output disruptions stemming from the extended gas crisis,” he added.
Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) added, “We noted a slight uplift in gas provision within the Narayanganj belt on Monday. Yet conditions worsened further this week.”
A managing director at a prominent spinning plant in Araihazar, Narayanganj, speaking on condition of anonymity, said gas pressure at the facility had dropped to virtually nil, well short of the government’s pledged 15 psi.
“We are sustaining financial losses of Taka 2 crore daily,” he claimed, adding, “We may be forced to offload our property just to cover workers’ wages, as we’re left with no other choice.”
He further stated most plant owners could confront serious difficulties settling workers’ wages as well as their utility bills for July and August.
Minhaz Hoque, managing director of Fatullah Dying and Calendaring Limited, a prominent yarn and fabric dyeing and processing plant in Narayanganj stated, “Earlier, the government had extended certain assurances. However, having missed several deadlines, they’re no longer providing us any assurances.”
“We remain entirely in the dark as to when conditions will improve,” he informed.
Bangladesh has been grappling with a severe nationwide gas crisis since 21 July, following a fire and technical breakdown at Excelerate Energy’s floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) off Moheshkhali, which halted operations and sharply curtailed daily gas supplies to the national grid.
