Habiganj’s industrial sector is facing a severe production crisis after gas supplies were completely cut off for three consecutive days, bringing operations to a standstill at more than 150 factories across the district. The disruption follows nearly three weeks of inadequate gas pressure, which had already been hampering industrial activity before supplies stopped altogether on Wednesday.
Habiganj has 171 small and large industrial establishments, according to industry sources. The prolonged disruption is now threatening substantial financial losses for factory owners, while concerns are growing over exports, employment and the wider industrial supply chain.
Entrepreneurs say the production losses are running into crores of taka every day. The problem is compounded by unreliable electricity supplies, leaving some factories unable to operate even when limited gas becomes available. Modern industrial machinery is also at risk because prolonged shutdowns and repeated starts and stops can place considerable stress on sensitive equipment.
Mohammad Majed Hossain, general manager of Square Denim, said both gas and electricity shortages had forced the company to shut down its machinery. He said prolonged inactivity could damage equipment and increase maintenance costs.
According to information provided by the company, one of its production lines requires 102,597 cubic metres of gas a day, while another needs 86,028 cubic metres. Neither line has received gas for three consecutive days.
The situation has been similarly difficult at SM Spinning. General Manager Md Abul Bashar said the factory requires around 1.035 million cubic metres of gas a month, equivalent to approximately 34,500 cubic metres a day.
Some gas was available for a short period on Friday morning, but the supply was highly unstable. It reportedly stood at around 60 per cent in the morning before falling to roughly 20 per cent by noon, making continuous operation of machinery practically impossible.
Bashar said sudden interruptions in gas pressure and electricity could damage sophisticated equipment. Some specialised machinery can be extremely difficult, and in certain cases almost impossible, to repair if damaged. The resulting losses therefore extend beyond the value of lost production.
He also said the disruption was beginning to affect export activity. According to his assessment, exports had fallen by around 13 per cent, while some orders were reportedly being cancelled. The consequences could extend well beyond individual factories because the textile and garment industries operate through closely connected production networks involving spinning, yarn, fabric and finished garments.
Habiganj’s industrial sector employs around 150,000 workers and employees. With factories unable to maintain normal production, some workers have already been given leave. In other establishments, employees are still being recorded as present despite having little or no productive work to perform.
For workers dependent on regular wages, the uncertainty is particularly worrying. Employee Faras Debnath said low gas pressure had already made normal production difficult for several days before the complete shutdown. He fears prolonged factory closures could threaten workers’ incomes.
Shefali Begum, another female employee, said her household depends on her daily earnings. When production stops, workers lose both their opportunity to work and their income. The absence of a clear indication of when the crisis will end has added to their anxiety.
At Sayham Group, General Manager and engineer Md Rezaul Haque said the factory had no gas on Friday, although workers had not been sent home. Management was retaining employees in the hope that production could resume quickly once supplies were restored.
He also warned that repeated interruptions could harm sophisticated machinery, some of which may be extremely difficult to repair if damaged.
A visit to industrial areas in Habiganj showed a mixed picture. Some factories had sent workers home, while production floors elsewhere had fallen unusually quiet. In some establishments, workers were maintaining attendance but were unable to operate machinery because of the lack of gas.
The disruption is also creating a difficult dilemma for factory owners. Sending workers home can reduce immediate operating costs, but prolonged shutdowns risk disrupting production schedules and weakening the ability of companies to fulfil orders. Retaining workers, meanwhile, creates additional costs when factories cannot produce goods.
The Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution System Limited has acknowledged that the supply situation has not improved significantly. Deputy General Manager Md Ruhul Karim Chowdhury said some gas was received for a short period on Thursday night, but the supply stopped again soon afterwards.
There had been indications that the situation might improve from 15 August, but he said no official confirmation had been communicated to them. He explained that although the company is responsible for gas distribution, the overall supply and allocation system is not determined solely by the distributor. The wider supply is controlled by Petrobangla.
The current crisis follows around 20 days of gas pressure and supply problems in Habiganj’s industrial areas. Initially, factories were attempting to operate with reduced pressure, resulting in slower and irregular production. Since Wednesday, however, the situation has escalated into a complete shutdown at a large number of establishments.
Industry leaders are now calling for the gas supply to be restored as quickly as possible. They warn that every additional day of disruption could deepen production losses and create complications involving export commitments, factory finances, machinery, employment and the network of suppliers dependent on industrial activity.
For Habiganj, where a large workforce and numerous interconnected industries depend heavily on reliable energy supplies, restoring gas is no longer simply a matter of improving production efficiency. It has become an urgent economic and employment concern.
