Factory owners in the Muktarpur industrial zone under Munshiganj district yesterday threatened to shut their production units due to a lack of gas supply.

"We would turn in the keys of our industries to the government and banks as we are failing to run our production units," Harun-Ur-Rashid, chairman and managing director of Asian Group of Industries, told a press conference at the National Press Club.

The industry owners demanded supply of adequate gas immediately to the affected areas of Muktarpur, term loans at five percent interest to buy

generators and diesel at Tk 20 per litre in this particular zone.

Rashid said five years ago, entrepreneurs established 18 industrial plants in Muktarpur region where 35,000 workers are now directly employed.

Some of the gas-based industries hurt by the short supply of gas include Asian Specialised Textile Mills Limited, Asian Cotton Spinning Mills Limited, Crown Cement, Premier Cement Mills Limited, Shah Cement Industries Limited, Akij Match Factory Ltd, Madina Dyeing-Printing and Processing Industries Ltd, Bornali Fabrics Ltd, Ideal Textile Mills Ltd, Mollah Knit Apparel and Dyeing Ltd, Orbit Fashion Wear

Ltd, Sohan Filament Yarn and Finishing Net Industries (Pvt) Ltd and Asia Paper and Board Mills Ltd.

The top official of Asian Group of Industries said gas pressure began to decline at least nine months ago when a technical glitch was identified in the gas supply line to Munshiganj on Fatullah Post Office Road.

"There has been no supply of gas to the Muktarpur industrial zone over the past 15 days," Harun-Ur-Rashid said.

As a result, industry owners in the area have been incurring losses everyday, as they have to continue to pay the workers without any production, he added.