Production at many factories in Savar-Ashulia industrial belt has dropped by 50% to 60% due to low gas pressure and frequent power outages, prompting concerns among manufacturers over export commitments.
Factory owners said prolonged energy shortages could delay shipments and undermine the country's competitiveness in global markets. During visits to industrial areas, including Radio Colony, Hemayetpur, and Zirabo, several production units were found idle as operators waited for gas pressure to improve or electricity to be restored.
Industry people estimate that nearly 1,200 factories have been affected, with the garment, textile, spinning, dyeing, steel, ceramic, and paper sectors suffering the greatest losses. While factories typically require 10–15 PSI of gas pressure for normal operations, the current supply has dropped to just 1–3 PSI, preventing boilers and other machinery from operating at full capacity.
Jasim Uddin, Managing Director of Blue Jeans Wear, said repeated production interruptions risk damaging entire denim processing batches and industrial equipment.
Moinuddin Ahmed Shipon, owner of Goldlife Spinning Factory, said low gas pressure has disrupted production, while power outages leave machinery idle for hours, increasing financial losses.
Many manufacturers have switched to diesel or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to keep operations running, but at a significantly higher cost. Industry estimates show production costs rise from Tk 14–15 per unit using gas-powered electricity to around Tk 34 per unit with diesel generation.
The crisis began after a technical fault at the Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) off Maheshkhali on July 21, reducing daily gas supply to the national grid by an estimated 450–500 million cubic feet and disrupting industrial operations across the country.
Gas crisis has also disrupted production at garment factories in Ashulia, one of the country’s largest apparel manufacturing hubs, raising concerns over delayed export shipments and potential financial losses for manufacturers.
For several days, low gas pressure has prevented the factories from operating boilers efficiently, bringing key finishing processes—including washing, drying, ironing, dyeing, and packaging—to a near standstill. Factory owners warn that disruption could delay deliveries to international buyers, risking penalties and future export orders.
Production at factories is severely affected. In some factories, workers waited for production to resume, while others attempted to keep limited operations running through alternative arrangements.
Ahmed Mortuza, Director of Projon Sweater Ltd, said that although most manufacturing stages had been completed, the absence of adequate gas pressure had halted boiler operations, making finishing and ironing impossible. Consequently, completed garments could not be packed and transported to ports on schedule.
Another factory official, Ripon Sarkar, said delayed shipments often lead to financial penalties imposed by overseas buyers and may also undermine long-term business relationships and future purchase orders.
Engineer Abu Saleh Muhammad Khademuddin, Manager of Titas Gas's Ashulia Zonal Marketing Office, said authorities are working to identify the cause of the supply disruption and restore normal gas supply, though he could not specify when the situation would return to normal.
