Gas crisis cripples Gazipur factories, leaves workers struggling to cook

Thousands of garment workers in Gazipur's industrial belt face hardship as a severe gas crisis disrupts factory operations and daily life. Many households struggle to cook, resorting to firewood or skipping meals due to irregular and insufficient gas supply.

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Even firewood is no longer easy to find. We have to buy it from the market, which means additional transportation costs.

Factories are operating below capacity, leading to reduced production and affecting workers' incomes. At home, the unreliable gas supply forces families to cook late at night or before dawn. Residents in the Kuniya Workers' Colony have resorted to using firewood, facing scarcity and increased costs for this alternative.

Niloy, a student and son of a garment worker, described the difficulty in finding and affording firewood. Sathi Begum, an unemployed garment worker, highlighted the broader economic struggles. Ziaul Kabir Khokon of the Garments Workers Trade Union Centre noted the crisis's dual impact on industrial production and workers' lives.

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Gazipur currently requires around 550 million cubic feet of gas per day (MMCFD), but only about 300 MMCFD is being supplied. As a result, garment factories, workers, and consumers across the industrial, commercial and residential sectors are facing gas supply disruptions due to severe low gas pressure.

Engineer Mohammad Saifuzzaman Bhuiyan, Gazipur Operations Manager for Titas Gas, stated the region requires 550 million cubic feet of gas daily but receives only 300 MMCFD, causing low pressure and supply disruptions. The district administration is discussing the issue with the relevant ministry to expedite measures for restoring normal industrial production.

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Efforts are underway to take the necessary measures as quickly as possible to restore normal industrial production.