Govt should allow weavers to import yarn thru' Benapole: BTMA

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FE Report
Textile mill owners, who earlier opposed import of yarn from India Monday softened their tones, saying the government could allow weavers to import yarn through Benapole land port under bonded license system.
"Weavers may be allowed to import yarn from India using the port to stabilise the volatile local yarn market," Abdul Hai Sarker, president of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), said while briefing journalists at a press conference at the association office in the city.
The BTMA has requested the government to allow weavers to import the raw material provided conditions of bonded licence are followed as done by the knitters, he added.
"BTMA is the largest organisation in primary textile sector," Mr Sarker said adding that the association made the appeal so that vested quarters are not able to take advantage of the crisis.
Earlier spinning mill owners urged the government not to allow yarn import through Benapole Land Port for safeguarding the primary textile sector.
Weavers have long been demanding permission to import yarn through Benapole following dramatic rise in yarn price in the domestic market.
But commercial yarn import through the port has remained banned since mid-1990s.
Mr Sarker said the yarn price largely depends on cotton price which increased up to 60 per cent in the international market.
"So the prices of yarn in local market have increased consequently."
The production capacity of the industrial units, especially readymade garment and spinning sub-sectors, has declined by 50 per cent because of acute shortages of gas and power, he said.
The BTMA president said the yarn production capacity of the Bangladeshi textiles mills is 1600 million kg annually, but now the annual production has come down to 800-900 million kg due to severe power and gas crises.