Production at Gonoshasthaya Basic Chemicals Limited, one of Bangladesh’s key producers of paracetamol raw materials, has remained suspended for the past 15 days due to a severe gas shortage.
The Gazipur-based company supplies paracetamol raw materials to around 30 of the country’s leading pharmaceutical manufacturers. Company officials say the disruption has prevented the production of approximately 55 tonnes of paracetamol bulk material during this period.
Paracetamol is an essential medicine used by people of all ages, from children to cancer patients. A visit to the factory on Honda Road in Tongi Bazar found the production unit’s boiler shut down, machinery lying idle, and the raw material warehouse nearly empty.
Around 70 workers were seen with little to do as operations remained suspended.
Under normal circumstances, the factory produces four to five tonnes of paracetamol raw materials daily. Officials warned that if gas supply is not restored promptly, pharmaceutical companies may be forced to rely on imported raw materials.
Engineer Md Mostafa, an official at Gonoshasthaya Basic Chemicals Limited, told TIMES of Bangladesh that the company had repeatedly informed Titas Gas authorities about the crisis.
“They expressed regret, saying they were facing difficulties in supplying regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG), but failed to provide any effective solution,” he said.
Managing Director ABM Jamaluddin said the lack of gas had made it impossible to operate the factory’s boiler.
“Without the boiler, steam cannot be produced, and without steam, the entire production process comes to a halt. The factory has remained closed for the last 15 days, causing losses of around Tk300,000 per day,” he said.
The gas crisis has also disrupted production at many other industrial factories in Gazipur. Some have been operating at reduced capacity for one to two weeks, while others have shut down entirely due to low gas pressure.
Insufficient gas supply has left many factories unable to operate most of their machinery, creating additional pressure on export order fulfilment, production costs and workforce management. Repeated attempts to contact Titas Gas authorities for comment were unsuccessful.
