Small engineering and metalworking industries in Dhaka’s Dholaikhal and Jinjira areas are facing severe production disruptions due to frequent load-shedding and rising gas prices, with daily output dropping by 50 per cent, workers’ daily income falling to Tk700-800, and owners’ daily income declining to Tk1,200-1,500.
Md Sentu, owner of SA Engineering Works in Dholaikhal, said his factory, which manufactures motor vehicle and industrial lathe parts, gears, metal shafts, bearing casings and spare parts, now operates at half its previous capacity.
Before the energy crisis, he produced 50 to 60 lathe parts daily. Now, with around three hours of power outage in an eight-hour workday, production has dropped to 25 to 30 pieces.
His daily income has fallen from Tk2,500-3,000 to Tk1,200-1,500. Monthly savings, after expenses, have dropped from Tk50,000-60,000 to Tk20,000-25,000.
“I cannot even think about overtime,” Sentu said. “If the situation worsens, I will have to shut down my workshop.”
According to Power Grid Bangladesh PLC and National Load Dispatch Centre’s daily report for 29 August, the national grid had been expected to face a 2,830 MW deficit during peak evening hours, with load-shedding reaching up to 2,703 MW at the sub-station level.
Dholaikhal workers feel the pinch
The crisis is also affecting workers. Sentu previously employed seven workers; now only five, including himself, are working. Workers are paid on a daily basis, Tk500-700 when power is available, but irregular supply has made even that difficult to sustain.
“These workers earn daily wages. Ask them what the power cuts mean to them,” Sentu said. “It hits them hard.”
Gas shortages and price hikes have compounded the problem. National gas supply deficit stood at approximately 1,375 MMCFD in mid-August, with LNG supply declining by another 70 MMCFD, according to officials.
Selim, a metal soldering and brazing worker in Dholaikhal’s Nuruddin Market, said a gas cylinder that previously lasted 4-5 days and cost Tk1,300 now costs Tk1,700-1,800. His daily income has dropped from Tk1,500 to Tk700-800.
Forging and welding worker Hafizur Rahman said raw material and fuel costs have pushed production expenses up. “A job that used to cost Tk500 now costs Tk750,” he said.
Jinjira industries also affected
In Keraniganj’s Jinjira areas- Ambhagicha, Tawapatti and Tinpatti- small factories specialising in lathe machines, welding, metal cutting and foundry work are also facing disruptions.
Worker Ariful Islam said while load-shedding had reduced slightly compared to earlier, fluctuations remained. “Previously, power would go out every half hour and take an hour to return,” he said.
Factories with generators face higher diesel costs when outages last longer.
Small entrepreneurs in these areas have limited capital and cannot absorb prolonged losses like larger industries. Some halt production entirely when power fails; others run generators at higher fuel costs. The increased production costs cannot be fully passed on to buyers.
With income falling and expenses rising, many fear closure is imminent. “If it becomes impossible to continue, I will have to shut down,” Sentu said.
