Hundreds of textiles mills are on the verge of shutdown due to the chronic gas crisis over the past few weeks, threatening a blow to the country's export earnings, textile millers said Monday.
They also said the government move to shut down industrial units by five hours a day during Ramadan is 'suicidal' for the sector.
"So far, at least 150 textile mills in Dhaka, Narayanganj and Manikganj have been suffering due to gas crisis as they cannot operate their factories due to low pressure of gas," President of BTMA Abdul Hai Sarker said at a press conference held at the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) office in the city.
Textile mills use gas for generating captive power as they need uninterrupted power for spinning, weaving and printing mills.
They named Padma Bleaching and Dyeing, Padma Weaving, AGC Spinning Mills, NZ Textiles, Razan-Shakil Textiles, Monno Fabrics and HP Chemical as those facing serious troubles to operate their units due to the crisis of gas.
They, however, urged the government to supply gas to the textile mills on 'priority basis' considering the huge investment, employment and a possible threat to the country's export trade.
Around 1200 textile mills of the country employing around 2.5 million workforce supply raw materials including yarn to the knit and woven garment factories for their export of garment items.
"We now want gas on priority basis as we have huge investments in the sector and the investments will than into 'bad investment' for lack of proper gas supply ," said Jahangir Alamin , BTMA vice president.
Tapan Chowdhuy, a former energy adviser and a member of BTMA board of directors, said the country has shortage of gas and none has any 'magic plan' to solve the crisis overnight adding: "The government might prioritise supplying of gas to the existing textile units, we don't want gas for expansion or new projects."
Textile leaders said the factories that are now on production losses due to the gas crisis will definitely fail to repay bank loan instalments, bank interest and pay salaries to the workers.
The BTMA president said the mills will fail to give salary and allowances and will even retrench workers once the situation persists for a few weeks further.
"We will not be able to give salary and festival bonus during before Eid as we are already in production losses," he added.
He also said none but the government will bear the responsibility for any chaos created as a result of workers' retrenchment and failure to give monthly salary to the workers in the textile sector.
"We, the textile mill owners, will not be liable for any crisis like labour unrest, default in repaying bank loan instalments and other kinds of chaos in the sector following production losses due to gas crisis," he added.
Former BTMA president Md Shajahan said many textile mills already have failed to supply yarn and textiles product to the forward linkage industries, which is a major threat to the country's export trade.
He also apprehended the buyers who so far remained impressed with Bangladesh might lose their confidence and cancel their orders.
The BTMA president ruled out any possibility of accepting the government move for gas rationing adding: "it will be a suicidal attempt for the sector."
The textile mills, spinning and printing mills require round-the-clock power supply and at least four hours are required for a single trip of power in those units.
Replying to a volley of queries from reporters, former adviser and BTMA director Tapan Chowdhury said they need clear instructions from the government on the crisis.
The government is campaigning for more investment against the backdrop of poor infrastructural support, said Tapan Chowdhury of Square Textiles, adding this is a contradictory policy.
"We need to know what we are to do. Should we go for further investment or try and keep hold of what we already have," said Tapan.
BTMA vice presidents Jamaluddin, Ahmed Ali, directors MA Zaher, Md Abul Bashar, Ashraful Hossain Bakaul and Mir Zubair Quasem were also present at the press conference.
