Bangladesh’s garment and textile exporters have sought immediate gas redistribution and a weekly zonal rationing system, warning that uneven supply and low pressure have been threatening factory operations and export commitments.
Four major trade bodies — the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association and Bangladesh Terry Towel & Linen Manufacturers and Exporters Association — earlier this month requested it in a joint letter to state-owned Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL).
The associations said a significant gap between approved gas loads and actual supply has left major manufacturing clusters struggling to maintain production.
The trade bodies said around 6,500 textile and garment factories, accounting for 94 per cent of the country’s sector capacity, are located in the Titas Gas distribution area.
These factories employ about 1.2 crore workers and contribute around $52 billion in export value, according to the letter.
Titas gets less than share
An analysis of industrial and captive gas supply between 5 September and 9 September showed that Titas Gas holds the largest share of approved industrial gas demand.
The Titas region has an approved industrial and captive gas load of 1,488 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd), or 75.88 per cent of the national total of 1,961 mmcfd.
However, GTCL’s average daily allocation to Titas was 980.20 mmcfd during the period, while actual supply stood at 883.20 mmcfd, leaving a shortfall of around 97 mmcfd, the associations said.
In contrast, five other gas distribution companies received an average 373.60 mmcfd against their combined allocation of 347.80 mmcfd, or around 25.80 mmcfd more than allocated.
The trade bodies said if the available gas supply was distributed according to approved load shares, Titas would have received about 953.57 mmcfd and other regions around 303.23 mmcfd.
That means Titas received about 70.37 mmcfd less than its proportional share, while the other five regions collectively received the same amount above their share, according to the letter.
Export hub under pressure
The associations said the imbalance is affecting the country’s main export-producing industrial belt.
Of Bangladesh’s export-oriented garment factories, 2,933 units, or 88.34 per cent, are located in the Titas area, employing around 27.31 lakh workers, nearly 92 per cent of the sector’s workforce.
The factories contribute an estimated $34.2 billion-$35.6 billion in garment export earnings, according to the letter.
The associations urged GTCL to review supply patterns and immediately redirect any excess gas from other distribution zones to the Titas region based on industrial demand, employment contribution and export importance.
Five-day supply cycle proposed
The trade bodies proposed dividing major industrial clusters into separate zones and introducing a weekly gas rotation system.
Under the proposal, each zone would receive adequate gas flow and pressure for five continuous days, followed by two days of planned shutdown or reduced supply.
The associations said the schedule should consider continuous-process industries, boiler-dependent factories, export deadlines, labour regulations and safety requirements.
They said the proposed system would not deprive any area of its rightful share but would ensure more efficient use of limited gas resources and maintain operational pressure for industries.
The trade bodies requested GTCL to urgently ensure three measures — reallocation of excess gas to the Titas region, restoration of adequate pressure for industrial operations and introduction of a zone-based rationing system across major industrial areas.
NZ Tex Group Managing Director Saleudh Zaman Khan (Jitu) told TIMES of Bangladesh we hope the authorities will consider the industry proposal to ensure the approved loads for the zone that needs gas most.
Otherwise, export competitiveness will be at risk.
Bangladesh has been facing a gas shortage of around a thousand mmcfd, even before the recent disruption in liquefied natural gas supplies.
