Factories in industrial belts require 15 PSI (pounds per square inch) of gas pressure but are currently receiving a maximum of 3 PSI. This low gas pressure has drastically cut textile production in spinning, dyeing, and weaving mills in the Tongi, Sreepur, Gazipur, and Maona areas by around 65% over the past five days.
Factory owners report some units having zero gas pressure, while others receive only 1 to 3 PSI, far below the needed 10-15 PSI for full capacity operation. Many fear missing their monthly production targets and failing to meet air shipment deadlines.
The primary textile sector in Bangladesh is worth $25 billion, with nearly 60% of its units located in Gazipur, Sreepur, Maona, Savar, Ashulia, and Tongi. Mohammad Abdullah Zaber, managing director of Noman Group, the largest textile and garment exporter in Bangladesh, expressed concerns about missing export targets due to the gas crisis. Noman Group aims to export $35 million in June but faces severe production challenges due to low gas pressure.
Md. Fazlul Haque, managing director of Israq Spinning Mills, reported his mill operating at one-third capacity due to inadequate gas pressure. The Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) has urged state-owned Petrobangla to address the issue. Petrobangla officials identified a leakage in the floating storage regasification unit (FSRU), which has significantly reduced gas supply. Repairs could take up to a month if the leakage cannot be fixed locally.
Gas flow remains low in Gazipur, and it is unclear when the situation will improve, according to Md. Ridwanuzzaman, branch manager for operations of Titas Gas Marketing and Supply. Efforts to reach Md. Haronur Rashid Mullah, managing director of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited, for comments have been unsuccessful.
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