Govt to launch 'crash programme' to ensure energy supply: Muktadir
He says resolving the energy crisis had become the government's top priority as gas shortages continue to stall large industrial investments.
The government will launch a crash programme to improve gas supply for industries, including adding a new Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU), to restore investor confidence, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said today (27 June).
Speaking at a BGMEA event in Dhaka, he said resolving the energy crisis had become the government's top priority as gas shortages continue to stall large industrial investments.
"I can tell you that a group which has invested about $600 million has been sitting idle for four years because there is no gas. Another company that has installed the country's biggest steel mill has also remained idle for years because there is no gas," he said. "Our great emphasis is on finding a pathway where we can quickly address this issue."
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The minister said the government was also working to improve the ease of doing business. "We have pledged to create a conducive and enabling environment for investors from around the globe, ensuring that Bangladesh becomes an attractive investment destination," he said.
Business leaders welcomed the initiatives but said a reliable energy supply remains the key prerequisite for new investment. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu said investment would not increase unless an uninterrupted gas supply was ensured.
"No matter what initiatives the government takes, investment will not grow without energy security," he said.
The remarks came at an event titled "Collaboration for Industry Placement, Recruitment and Talent Development Initiatives," jointly organised by BGMEA and the HSBC-AUW School of Apparel at Asian University for Women (AUW).
The programme focused on strengthening collaboration between academia and the garment industry, developing skilled human resources, promoting women's leadership and expanding internship and graduate recruitment opportunities for the apparel sector.
Speakers highlighted AUW's contribution to women's education, noting that around 600 students from Afghanistan are currently enrolled at the university.
BGMEA President Babu announced that every garment factory exporting more than $20 million annually would be encouraged to sponsor the education of at least one female employee at AUW.
Former BGMEA president and AUW Vice-Chancellor Rubana Huq, AUW founder Kamal Ahmad, Youngone Corporation Chairman Ki Hak Sung, former BGMEA president Kutubuddin Ahmed and HSBC Bangladesh Head of Sustainability Syeda Afzalun Nessa also addressed the programme.
The HSBC-AUW School of Apparel was established to develop highly skilled women professionals for Bangladesh's ready-made garment industry.
Speakers stressed that closer industry-academia collaboration would be essential to sustaining the sector's growth and strengthening its global competitiveness.
