Power crisis causes losses

Bangladesh Auto Re-Rolling and Steel Mills Association yesterday urged the Dhaka Power
Distribution Company Ltd (DPDC) to resolve lowvoltage problems in electricity supply to the mills.
An association delegation met DPDC management to discuss the nagging power crisis and its obvious impacts on the production at the steel and re-rolling mills.
Sheikh Masadul Alam Masud, the association's newly elected chairman, and Abul Quasem Majumder, the general secretary, led the delegation.
DPDC Managing Director Abdus Sobhan and other top officials were present at the meeting.
The still millers alleged that the steel and re-rolling mills have been incurring huge losses because of the nagging power crisis, which led to the rise in the prices of MS (mild steel) products for consumers.
“Frequent power disruption hampers our production severely. As a result, cost of production goes higher and higher,” said Masud.
He revealed that power-cuts cause sharp fall in production in steel mills. After facing unbearable losses, many mills finally suspended their production.
He also urged the DPDC to investigate if any steel or re-rolling mills are involved in any power pilferage or underhanded means of consuming electricity.
The trade body leaders claimed that a good number of auto steel and re-rolling mills entered the industry in recent years.
These mills have bright prospects of exporting MS rod and other products to different countries if the mills are provided with incentives and government support.