Industries Yet To Get Additional Supply Of Gas As Promised

Even if emergency measures similar to those taken during wartime are required, the government must ensure an uninterrupted gas supply to the industrial sector.

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Without this, existing industries will move from ailing to terminally ill-and ultimately collapse. No new investments will come, a massive workforce will be left unemployed, and job creation will stall. Despite the government's sincere intent to resolve the issue, gas pressure remains unchanged. Although the crisis began earlier this year, it has reached a critical stage since April.

In an interview with Energy & Power Editor Mollah Amzad Hossain, Razeeb Haider, Director of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) and Managing Director of OutSpace Spinning Mills Ltd., elaborated on the ongoing crisis.

The Energy Adviser had promised an additional 250 MMCFD of gas supply to industries. Have you noticed any improvement?

Not at all. My factory has seen no improvement. For several months now, gas pressure has consistently remained at or below 3 PSI. Most industries in the country are supplied by the Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, which accounts for about 70% of national gas demand. Any increase in total supply must be proportionally allocated to Titas. In my view, Petrobangla, GTCL, and Titas must work together in a coordinated manner to resolve this issue.

Petrobangla claims that more gas was supplied to industries between January and April 2025 than during the same period in 2024. Your thoughts?

The gas crisis has persisted for a long time. Last year, pressure fluctuated but never continuously dropped. If pressure fell for two days, it usually normalized on the third. This year, however, the situation is far worse. Since January, gas pressure has rarely reached the required level. Since April, we've consistently received pressure at or below 3 PSI, resulting in a 30-35% drop in production. If this continues, industries will further deteriorate and ultimately collapse.