Gas supply improves in Chattogram, still remains weak elsewhere

Gas supply to industries has improved significantly in Chattogram in the past two days, but factories in Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Manikganj and Narsingdi are still receiving far less pressure than their approved levels, according to industrialists.

While Petrobangla says gas flow has returned to pre-crisis levels, data and accounts from more than 10 gas-dependent factories show that many are receiving only 2-3 psi against approved pressure of 10-15 psi. Some factories get up to 7 psi at times, but the higher pressure is not sustained.

Gas supply in Bhola and Sylhet was already relatively stable.

Petrobangla officials said the overall gas flow had returned to the level before 21 July when one of the floating LNG terminals in Maheshkhali caught fire, but acknowledged that industrial consumers would need more time to see similar improvement in pressure.

Israq Spinning Mills Limited in Sreepur, Gazipur, has an approved gas pressure of 15 psi. The factory, which can produce 180 tonnes of yarn a day, is located close to the main pipeline and previously received relatively high pressure.

But Managing Director Fazlul Hoque told TBS yesterday that the factory was receiving only 3 psi.

"It is slightly higher than before, but it is not enough to run production normally," he said.

TBS reviewed gas pressure data shared yesterday by several industrial units in the internal WhatsApp group of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA).

Wisdom Attires Ltd, a garment factory in Fatullah, was receiving 2 psi at 12:15pm against its approved pressure of 10 psi. Baijeed Knit Garments Ltd in the Fatullah BSCIC Industrial Area was receiving just 0.01 psi at noon against an approved 5 psi.

Several other industrialists told TBS that pressure at their factories fluctuated between 2 and 4 psi.

Khorshed Alam, chairman of yarn manufacturer Little Star Spinning Mills Limited, said the situation at his factory remained unchanged, with gas pressure ranging between 1 and 2 psi.

He said his factory had always received lower pressure because it was at the end of the pipeline, but hoped the situation would improve.

Some factories have seen better supply. Md Tanjin Hakim Nayeem, assistant manager of Ali Hossain Textile Limited in Narayanganj, said pressure fluctuated during the day but rose to 5-6 psi after evening.

Industrialists said spinning mills need at least 7 psi to maintain normal production, while knitwear factories can operate at lower pressure.

Many manufacturers are supplementing gas with electricity from alternative sources to keep production running. Some are operating at 50-60% capacity, or higher in certain cases.

In Chattogram, gas supply has recovered substantially, said Belayet Hossain, executive director of garment group Asian Group.

"Gas supply at almost all factories has returned to nearly the level before 21 July," he told TBS. "On average, we are receiving about 5% less pressure than we did before 21 July."

Industrialists said production has consequently increased from the levels seen during the crisis.

Engineer Md Shoyeb, director (Operations and Mines) of Petrobangla, said gas flow at all stations had returned to the pre-crisis level.

Asked why industries were still not receiving their previous pressure levels, he said, "There was already a daily shortage of around 1,300 mmcfd."

He said gas pressure supplied to industries would increase further.