Textile leaders raise concern over poor gas supply

Expressing concern over the ongoing poor gas supply, leaders of the country’s primary textile mills on Sunday said their operations are severely affected, leading the factories to the verge of shutdown.

They sought immediate measures to ensure smooth and uninterrupted gas supply to the industries and to withdraw the price hike decision on industries and captive power plants.

They also stressed the need for a mid-term strategy and roadmap, devising ways out of the existing energy crisis and ensuring uninterrupted gas supply.

“If the government doesn’t take immediate measures, there will be no requirement for gas pressure as factories will be shut,” Bangladesh Textile Mills Association president Showkat Aziz Russell said.

He was speaking while addressing a press conference held at Gulshan Club in Dhaka city.

Mr Russell also said the government should take measures to stop system loss, cut off illegal gas connections, and withdraw VAT from all stages of gas supply.

The government has failed to provide adequate gas supply to the industries despite the price hike and repeated commitments, and is now putting deadlines for paying workers' wages, he said, raising the question: if they could not operate, how would they pay workers and other bills, including high bank interest rates?

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