Gas, power shortages still disrupt textile mills: BTMA tells Jamaat Ameer

Persistent gas and electricity shortages are disrupting operations at some textile mills, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) leaders told Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Tuesday, seeking policy support to address energy, tax and other challenges facing the sector.

A BTMA delegation raised the issues during a meeting with Shafiqur, also Jamaat-e-Islami ameer, at his official residence in Dhaka.

“Gas and electricity are continuing problems. There has been considerable improvement, but some factories are still facing problems,” BTMA Vice President Shafiqul Islam Sarker told reporters after the meeting.

He said the delegation also discussed incentives, higher taxes, Bangladesh’s graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category and misuse of bonded yarn.

“We have informed the opposition leader about our existing problems, including issues related to incentives, gas and electricity, LDC graduation and increased taxes,” he said.

The textile sector has around $32 billion in investment and serves as a key backward-linkage industry for Bangladesh’s readymade garment sector by supplying raw materials, Sarker said.

Mia Golam Porwar, assistant secretary general of Jamaat, said Shafiqur assured the delegation that he would raise the sector’s concerns in Parliament and work with the government to help address them.

He said the opposition would support government initiatives in the public interest while opposing measures it considers harmful, describing the approach as constructive opposition.