Gas shortage disrupts production in Gazipur industrial belt

The gas crisis in Gazipur's industrial belt has severely disrupted production, leaving many factories unable to run at full capacity. Industry insiders say missed export deadlines have already cost several manufacturers major international buyers.

During visits to factories in Bhogra, Chandana Chowrasta, Rajendrapur, and Konabari today, officials said low gas pressure has significantly affected production, with many factories unable to run machinery efficiently or complete orders on schedule.

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Rokonuzzaman, administration manager of Paragon Ceramics, told The Daily Star that they have been suffering from an acute gas shortage for more than a month.

"It is not only our factory; around 50 industrial establishments in this area are facing the same problem. The gas crisis extends from the Rajendrapur Health Care area to Mirzapur."

He said the shortage has severely hampered normal production, making it difficult to complete orders on time.

"As an alternative, we are trying to operate the factory using compressed natural gas (CNG) purchased from outside. However, that is also difficult, as both CNG and the fuel needed to transport it are scarce. As a result, we have failed to deliver orders on schedule and have already lost several major buyers," he added.

A worker, requesting anonymity, said the workload is higher than before.

"Because of the gas shortage, we often have to sit idle, making it impossible to complete our work on time," he said.

Asked about the scale of the disruption, MM Mamun Ur Rashid, deputy inspector general of the Gazipur office of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), said no factory has officially declared a shutdown so far.

"However, factory authorities have informed us that production at seven or eight factories has been severely affected due to low and irregular gas supply," he added.

Shafiul Alam, president of the Gazipur Metropolitan unit of the Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation, called the crisis a major challenge for the sector.

"Workers are also suffering as overtime has declined, incomes have fallen, and some factories face the risk of layoffs," he said.

"We urge the authorities to ensure an uninterrupted gas supply to industrial areas. If industries survive, workers will survive, and so will the economy," he said.