Policy Shift Necessary To Resolve Gas Crisis

Wedoany.com Report-Nov 2, We are concerned about the acute gas crisis that has hit the country in recent times. While it has severely affected the industrial sector, the situation is also dire for households and filling stations in Dhaka and across the country, causing public sufferings. The condition of the industrial sector is particularly alarming, with textile and other factories being forced to reduce their production. The crisis is said to be increasingly severe in Gazipur, Narayanganj, Savar, Chattogram and Narsingdi.

Currently, daily gas deficit in the country is approximately 1.35 billion cubic feet, with industries receiving 30 percent less gas than their demand. Industry owners say they are having to run factories at additional costs for using alternative energy sources. If the situation persists, industrial production will face a severe crisis, potentially leading to many factory shutdowns. And if factories close or cannot pay salaries, a large number of workers may lose their income.

Among the affected industries, the textile sector is perhaps the most vulnerable, with its production down by 65 percent compared to the capacity. In many factories, gas pressure remains low or absent throughout the day, hindering production, while reliance on diesel instead of gas only inflates production costs. In Chattogram, the production of steel, cement, and glass is also being hampered by the gas crisis. Gas-based power plants are also struggling to generate electricity due to supply shortages. These plants require 1.2 billion cubic feet of gas daily to maintain normal electricity supply in the country, but they are currently receiving only about 920 million cubic feet.