Al Amin :
The risk of losing jobs in manufacturing sectors of the country is increasing as production has declined by around 40 per cent due to severe load shedding and low gas flow in recent days.
Many exporters will miss shipment deadline and will be forced for air shipment or discount, if the situation prolonged, the sectors insiders said.
“Around 30 to 40 per cent production has been decreased in manufacturing sectors due to severe power shortage and low gas flow in the industrial areas,” Mohammad Ali Khokon, President of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), told The New Nation on Wednesday.
“It will impact on July and August exports, which has already decreased by 12.5 per cent. Sufficient gas supply to the industry sector is needed to face the ongoing dollar crisis,” he added.
Textile sector is the worst victim of the crisis, he said.
According to data revealed by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) that the number of Utilisation Declaration (UD) permission has slipped to 8,806 from 10,026 in March-June period.
The trend of work orders inflow is defined by the number of UD permissions given by a relevant association. UD is a permission given exporter to import raw materials to execute any work order placed by an importer. Sayham Textile and Cotton Mills, located in Hobiganj, produced yarn and exported to USA. Many export-oriented garment factories of the country also collect yarn from the company.
But the production of this factory has come down almost half in recent days due to severe load shedding and low gas flow.
Rezaul Haque, Textile Engineer of the mills, said, “Gas flow (pressure) has decreased in our area. Additionally, severe load shedding is going on. These have made us difficult to run the factories.”
“Gas flow that should be 120 to 150 PSI, a unit of pressure, but it is now only 47 PSI. Under the situation, our production has reduced by about 30 to 40 per cent,” he said. “If the situation prolonged, no alternative option but to sack workers,” he added.
Safco Spinning Mill Limited Director Salauddin Ahmed said, “We used to run 70 machines. But only 32 machines are now functioning due to electricity and gas crisis.”
He said around 30,000 people work here.
Mohammad Hatem, Executive President of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) said, “We have already faced order crisis for high inflation in many counties. Moreover, if we fail to produce the ordered goods timely for electricity and gas crisis, disastrous situation will come to the export-oriented sectors.”
He further said we will be forced for air shipment or given discount to the buyers.