DHAKA, Jan 29, 2024 (BSS)- President of Bangladesh Textile

Mills Association (BTMA) Mohammad Ali Khokon has urged the
government to withdraw the increased gas prices and return to
the previous prices until uninterrupted gas supply is ensured.

The BTMA president also said that gas prices were increased
last year upon promise from the government of ensuring steady
gas supply, but the authorities could not supply gas
uninterruptedly.

Under the current circumstances, he said they could go back to
the previous price and once uninterrupted gas supply is
ensured, then the gas price could be increased again.

The BTMA president said this while addressing a press
conference held at a city hotel marking the holding of the
four-day Dhaka International Textile and Garment Machinery
Exhibition (DTG), an international exhibition of the textile
and apparel sector.

The exhibition will begin on February 1 at International
Convention Center Bashundhara (ICCB) and will continue till
February 4. Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment
Adviser Salman F Rahman will inaugurate the exhibition. The
exhibition will continue everyday from 12 noon to 8:00 pm.

Highlighting the scenario of availability of gas in the
industries, the BTMA president mentioned that for a month or
more, the average PSF of gas supplied to textile mills located
in Chattogram, Savar, Ashulia, Gazipur, Araihazar and
Narayanganj was between zero and 2.

He said gas supply remained suspended at BSCIC of Narayanganj
and its surrounding areas for the last 15 days while due to
lack of gas supply, the production of the mills is nearly
zero.

Furthermore, Khokon said despite intermittent supply of gas,
pressure fluctuations are causing damages to the mill
machineries. “For that reason, it is not possible to supply
the necessary yarn and fabric to the export-oriented garment
industries,” he added.

The BTMA president also said that even if there is no gas, the
mills have to pay a huge amount of money as the minimum gas
bills. Due to gas shortage, boilers cannot be started while
fabric processing remained suspended, he added.

He said due to lack of production, uncertainty has also loomed
large over the timely payment of salaries to the workers.

Khokon also expressed his concern that if uninterrupted and
quality supply of electricity and energy is not ensured, then
it would be tough to attract new investment in the textile
sector.

It was informed at the press conference that some 1,100 global
companies that manufacture textile and garment machineries are
participating in the exhibition. Some 1,600 booths have also
been installed at the venue for these companies representing
32 countries.