Gas Crisis Cuts Industrial Production in Gazipur by 40 Per Cent

A persistent shortage of natural gas in Gazipur is disrupting industrial production, with around 15 per cent of factories reportedly facing operational difficulties and affected units experiencing production cuts of nearly 40 per cent.

Mohammad Amzad Hossain, superintendent of Gazipur Industrial Police-2, said on Sunday that the authorities had received information about widespread disruption caused by inadequate gas pressure. Gazipur is one of Bangladesh’s major industrial hubs, with more than 3,000 small and large factories operating across the district. The continuing supply problem is therefore affecting not only individual businesses but also a large number of workers whose livelihoods depend on uninterrupted industrial activity.

According to the industrial police, around 400 to 450 factories are currently experiencing some degree of production disruption because of the gas shortage. The principal difficulty is low pressure in the supply network, which prevents factories, particularly those located towards the end of distribution lines, from receiving sufficient gas for their operations.

The situation on the factory floor appears more severe, according to workers and officials. Employees in several establishments said they were being forced to remain idle when gas pressure fell, while uncertainty over future employment has also increased. Some factory owners and senior officials, however, have been reluctant to discuss the situation publicly.

One of the clearest examples is Fuad Spinning Mills Limited in Konabari, which was declared closed from 1 August. More than 500 workers employed at the factory have consequently been left without regular work. The company’s Deputy General Manager, Azizul Haque, said production had been disrupted for several months because of the gas shortage. The factory had continued paying wages and allowances while workers remained idle, but prolonged losses eventually made continued operation financially difficult.

He said the factory would be reopened if the gas supply situation improves.

At Sadma Fashion Limited in Kaliakair, the dyeing section has been particularly affected. Managing Director Sohel Rana said inadequate gas pressure frequently forced workers to stop production and wait. Although production sometimes resumes when pressure temporarily improves, the supply does not remain stable for long.

Paramount Textile Mills Limited has also experienced a decline in production. Its Assistant General Manager, Rabiul Islam, said the gas shortage was interfering with normal factory operations and reducing output.

Another factory, Divine Textile Mills Limited in the Palli Bidyut area of Gazipur, was reportedly declared closed from Thursday. Factory officials declined to comment when contacted.

Industrial Police-2 said, however, that it had not received official notifications confirming widespread permanent closures because of the gas shortage. The police have received a closure notice from Ripon Garments, which cited low gas pressure and announced temporary leave for workers while asking them to remain in contact with the management.

Hossain said industrial police teams were conducting surveys across factories to identify the nature and extent of the disruption. He stressed that factories would need to formally state gas shortages as the reason for closure before the police could officially classify them as such.

The gas distributor has acknowledged the supply pressure problem. Saifuzzaman Sani, manager of distribution at Titas Gas, said the shortage was occurring because overall gas pressure remained low, leaving supplies below the level required to meet Gazipur’s demand. Factories located at the far ends of the distribution network were therefore receiving inadequate gas.

He said senior authorities were working to increase pressure across the system.

The disruption is particularly significant for gas-dependent industries such as textiles, spinning, dyeing and other manufacturing units, where stable fuel supply is essential for maintaining machinery, production schedules and worker employment. Prolonged interruptions can also create difficulties in meeting delivery deadlines and increase operating costs as manufacturers struggle to maintain output.

For workers, the consequences extend beyond temporary periods of inactivity. If factories remain unable to operate at viable capacity for an extended period, employers may face growing financial pressure, while employees may encounter reduced working hours, temporary leave or, in more serious cases, job losses.

The industrial police said monitoring would continue as the gas situation develops. For now, factory owners and workers across Gazipur remain dependent on an improvement in gas pressure to restore normal production.