BKMEA seeks 12-month installment facility for gas, power bills

The Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) has requested an installment facility allowing factories affected by gas and electricity shortages to pay their July and August utility bills over 12 months.

The association made the request in a letter sent to Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud on 9 August, seeking necessary directives from the ministry.

Signed by BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem, the letter said knitwear manufacturers across the country suffered significant losses in July and August due to severe shortages of gas and electricity.

Although authorities took initiatives to supply gas through open and cylinder-based systems, many factories were unable to maintain normal production because regular gas supplies remained disrupted, the association said.

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To keep production running, factory owners had to spend additional cash to procure diesel, LPG and other alternative fuels. The additional cost of these fuels was not included in their previously planned production expenses, resulting in substantial financial losses for the industrial units, BKMEA said.

Under the circumstances, most factories would find it difficult to pay their July and August gas and electricity bills in a single payment, the association said. Production disruptions and additional fuel costs have further increased financial pressure on the industry.

BKMEA expressed hope that with government consideration and support, production in the export-oriented industrial sector could be brought back to normal, helping maintain the country's economic growth.