The country's primary textile millers on Monday expressed fear that they might fail to meet the existing export orders due to gas crisis.
They said production at some 60 mills in Madhabkhola, Sripur, Baniarchala, Bhabanipur and Gazipur areas remained almost suspended for insufficient gas supply.
The Bangladesh Textiles Mills Association (BTMA) urged the government to ensure smooth supply of natural gas to its member mills so they could continue production and pay workers before Eid-ul-Fitr.
The BTMA in separate letters to PM's power, energy and mineral resources adviser Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd made the appeal.
In the letters, the BTMA said if the current situation prolongs, millers would fail to maintain export orders in time and also be unable to pay wages to workers.
The situation might deteriorate law and order, the organisation warned.
Spinning, weaving and fabric-processing mills in the areas have suspended production by 75 per cent for the past few weeks as gas pressure fell to 3.0-5.0 PSI from 15 PSI, read the letter.
Although the trade body on April 07 requested the Titas Gas to resolve the crisis, the situation rather deteriorated, said BTMA president Mohammad Ali Khokon.
Some big spinning, weaving and fabric-processing mills, including dying and printing ones, that operate on gas-based captive power remained almost suspended for gas supply problem, he noted.
He sought immediate measures to ensure smooth supply of natural gas to the mills.
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