Persistent shortages of gas and electricity are disrupting operations at some textile mills, industry leaders told Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Tuesday, while seeking policy support to address energy, tax and other challenges confronting the sector.
A delegation of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) raised the concerns during a meeting with Shafiqur Rahman, also Jamaat-e-Islami ameer, at his official residence in the capital.
“Gas and electricity are continuing problems. There has been considerable improvement, but some factories are still facing problems,” BTMA Vice President Shafiqul Islam Sarker told reporters after the meeting.
He said the association also discussed problems related to incentives, increased taxes, Bangladesh’s graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category and misuse of bonded yarn.
“We have informed the opposition leader about our existing problems, including issues related to incentives, gas and electricity, LDC graduation and increased taxes,” he said.
He said the government had already addressed some of the concerns raised by the industry, while discussions were continuing on others.
He said the textile sector has around US$32 billion in investment and serves as a key backward-linkage industry for Bangladesh’s readymade garment sector by supplying raw materials.
Mia Golam Porwar, Assistant Secretary General of Jamaat, said the Jamaat Ameer assured the BTMA delegation that he would raise the sector’s concerns in Parliament and work with the government to help resolve them.
“He will always speak about the country’s issues and will work with the government on these matters,” Porwar said, conveying the opposition leader’s position.
Porwar said the Jamaat Ameer also told the delegation that the opposition would support government initiatives in the public interest while opposing measures it considers harmful, describing the approach as constructive opposition.
Source: UNB