Ashuganj Fertiliser Factory has remained closed for 162 consecutive days due to recurring gas crisis, resulting in the production of an estimated 200,000 tonnes of urea fertiliser — at a rate of 1,200 metric tonnes per day — has been disrupted.
The market value of this loss is about Tk 800 crore. This prolonged disruption is pushing the profitable institution towards an uncertain future.
Meanwhile, dissatisfaction over the pay structure is prevailing among the factory’s workers and employees.
On Sunday morning, factory workers and employees staged a protest rally and gate meeting, demanding uninterrupted gas supply and “implementation of the same scale in the same corporation”.
The rally, chaired by Ashuganj Fertiliser and Chemical Company Ltd Workers and Employees Union (CBA) president Bazlur Rashid, was addressed by the union’s senior vice-president and Brahmanbaria District Workers Welfare Federation general secretary Akhtar Hossain, the union’s general secretary Abu Kausar, Bangladesh Chemicals Workers Federation organising secretary Harun-Or-Rashid and labour leader Moniruzzaman Pavel, among others.
Later, the strikers brought out a protest procession on the factory premises and staged a sit-in outside its administrative building.
The unionists submitted a memorandum to the Ministry of Industries and other offices concerned through the factory’s general manager (admin), demanding uninterrupted gas supply and “implementation of the same scale in the same corporation”.
According to the union, workers and employees of various factories under the same corporation are on different pay scales, which has created long-standing discrimination.
In addition to this, disruption in gas supply is hampering production and harming national interests.
For 162 consecutive days from 1 March, they said, there has been no gas supply, stopping the factory’s production.
This has disrupted the production of about 200,000 tonnes of urea fertiliser worth about Tk 800 crore.
Meanwhile, dissatisfaction over the pay structure continues among the factory’s workers and employees. As a result, this profitable institution may face major uncertainty in future.
Workers and employees demand that an equal national pay scale be implemented for all employees in all institutions and subsidiaries under BCIC.
Union general secretary Abu Kausar said, “We have repeatedly informed the authorities about our fair demands for uninterrupted gas supply to the plant and a pay scale for workers and employees, but no solution has been reached. Therefore, we’re presenting the justification of our demands through peaceful programmes.”
Union president Bazlur Rashid warned, “If the issue of uninterrupted gas supply and the pay scale for workers and employees is not resolved quickly, the movement will be expanded further.”
Bakhrabad Gas Company Ashuganj regional office deputy general manager engineer Zahid Reza said discussions have been held between BCIC and Petrobangla authorities on this matter.
A decision has been taken for gas supplies to four fertiliser plants, but no instruction has been received regarding the same to Ashuganj plant.
To this end, the factory’s managing director, Pradip Kumar Nath, said that production has been halted since last March due to the gas crisis, thereby disrupting the daily production of 1,200 tonnes of urea.
He also expressed concern that if the factory remains closed for a long time, various machinery parts may rust and become damaged.
Pradip said they are communicating with Petrobangla to get gas supply and hoped that gas may be supplied in September or October.