Manufacturing output across the major industrial belts of Savar, Ashulia, and Dhamrai has contracted sharply due to acute shortages of natural gas and electricity. Factory managers and operational executives report that low gas pressure and persistent load-shedding have forced production cuts of 15 to 20 per cent, whilst reliance on costly alternative fuels has driven up operational expenditures significantly.

A field survey across ten ready-made garment (RMG), washing, spinning, and ceramic units highlighted severe operational disruptions. At A R Wet Processing in Ashulia’s Jirabo area, gas pressure routinely drops to between 1 and 2 pounds per square inch (PSI), far below the 10 PSI required to run heavy industrial machinery. Out of 80 to 90 processing units, only a fraction can run simultaneously, reducing daily output from 50,000 pieces to under 30,000.

Alternative power sources have provided little financial relief. At Fun Factory in Unique Bus Stand, diesel costs have tripled from 5,000 Taka to 15,000 Taka per shift to offset five to six hours of daily load-shedding. Meanwhile, Little Star Spinning Mill in Jamgora is operating at just 40 per cent capacity despite integrating solar arrays and battery banks, incurring an additional cost of 14 to 15 Taka per pound of yarn produced.

Data compiled by Industrial Police-1, which oversees 1,863 manufacturing units in Savar, Ashulia, and Dhamrai, indicates that while no factories have shut down entirely, average productivity has plummeted. Industrial Police Superintendent Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan confirmed that widespread reliance on standby diesel generators has triggered an overall 15 to 20 per cent drop in output.

The national gas network continues to experience a structural deficit. Bangladesh requires approximately 3,800 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of natural gas, but typical supply lingers around 2,700 mmcfd. Recent official figures from Petrobangla recorded national grid supply at 2,379.9 million cubic feet, leaving an 883.2 million cubic feet deficit for power generation alone. Technical faults at one of the country’s two floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminals in Maheshkhali further choked supply lines throughout July and August.

Power distribution authorities confirm that the gas deficit directly compounds grid instability. General Manager of Dhaka Palli Bidyut Samity-1, Akhtaruzzaman Laskar, stated that the Savar-Ashulia zone faces a daily shortfall of 100 megawatts against a demand of 480 megawatts, resulting in daily load-shedding of up to 25 per cent. Moreover, residential gas shortages have forced local populations to use electric cooking appliances, driving up grid demand during peak hours.

Exporters express growing alarm regarding tight delivery schedules for international buyers. Representatives from the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) warned that persistent production delays put critical supply chains at risk. With shipment deadlines looming, manufacturers fear that missed delivery windows could damage the country’s reputation and jeopardise future international procurement contracts.