Severe gas supply shortage hits textile production
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
FE Report
The country's textile, knitwear and readymade garment industries leaders urged the government to take immediate steps in restoring gas supply as production in their factories has declined by around 50 per cent due to gas crisis Tuesday.
"Textile production has nearly halved due to severe interruption in gas supply, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) President Abdul Hai Sarker told the FE.
Textile sector consumes 70 per cent of the total gas used by the private sector and if the gas crisis continues for long, then the sector may not be able to sustain, he explained.
The BTMA president said: "We need 2,000 mw power per day whereas now we are getting only 1,200-1,400 mw power which is 40 per cent less than the demand."
According to the BTMA, the country has 1,350 textile mills with cumulative investment of Tk 400 billion (40,000), the highest by any industrial sector.
Mr Sarker said: "Spinning, dyeing and finishing factories need 24-hour uninterrupted gas supply for full-fledged production."
He said, due to interruption in gas supply the production, quality and quantity had fallen which would hamper product delivery consignment.
"We have been facing gas crisis since March, 2009 and recently it has turned worse in Dhaka, Chittagong, Gazipur, Savar and Narayanganj zones," he added.
"We are still recovering from the impact of the global recession and at this moment the gas crisis has been the biggest menace for us causing loss of our international market. "Fazlul Hoque, president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) said.
"To complete a batch of knit product a dyeing factory needs at least 10-11 hours of uninterrupted electric supply" he said adding that the lack of gas supply hampers the quality and quantity too.
Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said "if the problem is not solved on priority basis, more than hundred factories will have to shut down".
The leaders said, "If this situation continues, then we will not be able to fulfil this year's export target."
The sectors' export performance witnessed a negative growth during the current fiscal year.
The country's textile, knitwear and readymade garment industries leaders urged the government to take immediate steps in restoring gas supply as production in their factories has declined by around 50 per cent due to gas crisis Tuesday.
"Textile production has nearly halved due to severe interruption in gas supply, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) President Abdul Hai Sarker told the FE.
Textile sector consumes 70 per cent of the total gas used by the private sector and if the gas crisis continues for long, then the sector may not be able to sustain, he explained.
The BTMA president said: "We need 2,000 mw power per day whereas now we are getting only 1,200-1,400 mw power which is 40 per cent less than the demand."
According to the BTMA, the country has 1,350 textile mills with cumulative investment of Tk 400 billion (40,000), the highest by any industrial sector.
Mr Sarker said: "Spinning, dyeing and finishing factories need 24-hour uninterrupted gas supply for full-fledged production."
He said, due to interruption in gas supply the production, quality and quantity had fallen which would hamper product delivery consignment.
"We have been facing gas crisis since March, 2009 and recently it has turned worse in Dhaka, Chittagong, Gazipur, Savar and Narayanganj zones," he added.
"We are still recovering from the impact of the global recession and at this moment the gas crisis has been the biggest menace for us causing loss of our international market. "Fazlul Hoque, president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) said.
"To complete a batch of knit product a dyeing factory needs at least 10-11 hours of uninterrupted electric supply" he said adding that the lack of gas supply hampers the quality and quantity too.
Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said "if the problem is not solved on priority basis, more than hundred factories will have to shut down".
The leaders said, "If this situation continues, then we will not be able to fulfil this year's export target."
The sectors' export performance witnessed a negative growth during the current fiscal year.