The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) leaders in Chattogram have raised concerns over severe disruptions in the ready-made garment (RMG) industry, a key export sector of the country, due to ongoing shortages of gas, electricity, and water.
At a meeting held on Wednesday, BGMEA leaders discussed the ongoing challenges, citing frequent load shedding and low gas pressure in industrial zones as major obstacles to maintaining production levels that meet demand.
The issue was highlighted during the first meeting of BGMEA’s Standing Committee on Power, Gas, Telecommunication, and Miscellaneous Utilities at the association’s conference room in Chattogram. The meeting details were disclosed in a press release issued on Thursday.
Speakers at the meeting emphasized that the sweater industry is especially hard-hit by gas shortages, with production grinding to a halt when gas pressure drops. They said gas shortages are typically worst between January and April, with the situation deteriorating during peak hours.
Since factories cannot operate without uninterrupted power and gas supply, they urged the authorities to take immediate action to address these shortages, underlining the importance of the RMG sector to the national economy.
The meeting also criticized the practice of disconnecting gas and electricity supplies without prior notice, even for a single month’s non-payment.
BGMEA leaders pointed out that in some instances, connections are cut off on Thursdays, leaving factories unable to clear dues the following day due to government holidays. They called for at least one month’s notice before any disconnections.
Additionally, the leaders raised concerns about water shortages, with some factories facing supply cuts for one or two days a week, often without any prior notice. They warned that these disruptions severely impact production activities.
The meeting was chaired by Moinuddin Ahmed Mintu, former first vice-president of BGMEA and chairman of the standing committee.
BGMEA Vice President Mohammad Rafiq Chowdhury, Director-in-Charge Syed Mohammad Tanvir, Directors Saif Ullah Mansur, Enamul Aziz Chowdhury, and Rakibul Alam Chowdhury, along with the committee’s co-chairmen and members, participated in the discussion.
