BGMEA demands nonstop power, gas supply
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
FE Report
Leaders of the country's apparel manufacturers Tuesday demanded uninterrupted supply of power and gas to ensure steady production in their units.
They said power and gas crises have severely hampered production in factories of Dhaka and Chittagong.
"The situation in ready-made garments industry is not good because of the prevailing gas and power crises," Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said at a press briefing following his meeting with Prime Minister's Advisor for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and State Minister for Energy and Power Enamul Huq at the secretariat.
There is no alternative to continuous power and gas supply for saving this labour-oriented industry and the supply has to be ensured giving it top priority, said Murshedy who led a delegation of the BGMEA.
He also demanded subsidy on diesel and furnace fuel prices.
"If the government fails to provide steady supply of power and gas, it can temporarily stay the raise in their prices. The separate rates of peak and off-peak hours may be dissolved into a steady flat rate."
He also demanded a halt in the current drive to cut power and gas connections of companies that failed to pay arrears bills.
Production delays, due to interruption in power and gas supply, have compelled them to send cargo by air instead of sea, causing huge financial losses, Mr Murshedy said.
Leaders of the country's apparel manufacturers Tuesday demanded uninterrupted supply of power and gas to ensure steady production in their units.
They said power and gas crises have severely hampered production in factories of Dhaka and Chittagong.
"The situation in ready-made garments industry is not good because of the prevailing gas and power crises," Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said at a press briefing following his meeting with Prime Minister's Advisor for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and State Minister for Energy and Power Enamul Huq at the secretariat.
There is no alternative to continuous power and gas supply for saving this labour-oriented industry and the supply has to be ensured giving it top priority, said Murshedy who led a delegation of the BGMEA.
He also demanded subsidy on diesel and furnace fuel prices.
"If the government fails to provide steady supply of power and gas, it can temporarily stay the raise in their prices. The separate rates of peak and off-peak hours may be dissolved into a steady flat rate."
He also demanded a halt in the current drive to cut power and gas connections of companies that failed to pay arrears bills.
Production delays, due to interruption in power and gas supply, have compelled them to send cargo by air instead of sea, causing huge financial losses, Mr Murshedy said.