Bangladesh RMG, textile bodies urge gas policy reforms to boost output

"Removing the requirement for prior approvals will help the industry adopt more energy-efficient and high-performance machinery. We believe this will significantly boost energy efficiency, enhance production, and contribute to valuable foreign exchange earnings," they noted in a joint letter to Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, adviser to the ministry of power, energy and mineral resources.

The industry leaders warned that procedural delays and restrictions in the current gas connection approval process are hurting production and costing the country valuable export earnings, domestic media outlets reported.

Frequent restructuring or machinery replacements are required to improve efficiency or respond to changing buyer demands. However, the current requirement to seek prior approval from gas distribution companies for any rearrangement-even within factory premises-causes unnecessary delays, they argued.

They also requested the withdrawal of a previous order requiring clearance from electricity distribution companies for new captive power connections above 10 MW, citing the national grid's unreliable supply.

Other key demands include allowing unused gas load from one industrial unit to be transferred to another under the same ownership and premises without reclassifying it as a new connection.

They sought automatic approval of low-pressure regulators in areas with chronic pressure shortfalls.

They also demanded permitting load transfers across different premises owned by the same company and introducing a digital application system for gas connections and meter installations, with a fixed processing timeframe of three to five working days.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)