Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) President Mohammad Ali Khokon claimed that the production in the country’s textile mills has declined by at least 40 percent as a result of the ongoing gas crisis.

He urged the government to reduce the gas price to its previous level until the continuous gas supply is ensured.

“If the crisis is not resolved immediately, the production capacity may decline even further. If you (the government) cannot provide uninterrupted gas, let it (gas price) go back to the previous price,” the BTMA president said at a press conference at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon hotel in Dhaka on Monday.

Ali explained that although gas price was raised last year on the promise of uninterrupted gas supply, the Petrobangla could not supply gas uninterruptedly.

He said the gas price should be reduced to the previous level until an uninterrupted supply is ensured.

For a month or more, average from zero to 2 PSF gas was supplied to textile mills located in Chittagong, Savar, Ashulia, Gazipur, Araihazar and Narayanganj.

“Gas supply has been stopped for the last 15 days only in Bangladesh Small & Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) of Narayanganj and its surrounding areas; Due to lack of gas supply, the production of the mills is near zero,” Kokhon said.

“In the face of intermittent supply of gas, pressure fluctuations are causing damage to mill machinery. For that reason, it is not possible to supply the necessary yarn and fabric to the export-oriented garment industry,” he added.

The BTMA president expressed concern that the mill owners have to pay a huge amount for the minimum gas bill even if there is no gas.

“Due to gas shortage, boilers cannot be started, fabric processing is stopped. Due to lack of production, there is also uncertainty about timely payment of salaries and allowances to the workers. This can let the law and order situation deteriorate in future.”

Kokhon said, “Uninterrupted and quality supply of electricity and energy is not guaranteed, doubts remain as to whether there will be new investment in the textile sector.”

He informed that there is an investment of around Tk1,80,000 crore in the sector while the country has 20,000 woven fabric mills and 25 home textile mills.

While addressing a seminar on Monday, BTMA president said, “The textile sector is facing extreme uncertainty due to high-interest rates on bank loans and the ongoing gas crisis.”

Textile, garment machinery exhibition begins on Feb 1 at ICCB

The 18th edition of the Dhaka International Textile and Garment Machinery Exhibition is going to be held on February 1-4 at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB).

The BTMA and the Yorkers Trade & Marketing Services Co Ltd are jointly organising the event.

Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman is expected to inaugurate the expo on Thursday.

The exhibition will remain open for visitors from 12 noon to 8 pm every day, said the BTMA president.