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managing director of the company located in Gazipur.

Like others, Haque begins the operation of his mills after 10:00pm when gas pressure increases a bit.

Md Masud Rana, managing director of Asia Composite Mills in the same industrial belt, says production has fallen by 50 per cent because of the shortage of gas.

Savar-based Little Star Spinning Mills Ltd normally produces 12,000 kilogrammes of high 60 to 80-carded yarn daily. Now, the production has fallen to 4,500 kg since it runs the operation at night alone.

“Many mills have zero flow of gas and thus no production,” said Khorshed Alam, chairman of the company.

A weaver at Narsingdi says his factory, which at its peak can manufacture one lakh yards of fabrics daily, is running at half of its capacity.

As a result, he is failing to supply fabrics to his customers on time and is fearing a huge loss.

“We will lose our buyers if the gas supply situation does not improve soon,” he added.

Faruque Hassan, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said the gas crisis would affect the whole garment supply chain.

Mohammad Ali Khokon, president of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association, said almost every mill is running at losses because of the disruption in gas supply. Khokon pointed out that when the gas tariff was hiked recently, it was committed that both supply and pressure would improve.

“The situation has rather worsened. Factory and mill owners are complaining that they can’t operations because of the lower pressure of gas.”

The power cuts are not totally unexpected.

For example, shopping centres and stores were shut at 8:00pm every day from June 21 to June 30, instead of 10:00pm, as the government looks to conserve power and energy amid the rising prices in the global market.

The restriction has been loosened owing to the Eid festival and is said to be reinstated from July 10.

“It is a very difficult situation,” said Aameir Alihussain, managing director of BSRM, one of the largest steel mills in Bangladesh.

Steel manufacturers are already facing increased import costs for the deprecation of the taka against the US dollar and higher prices of ingredients of steel in the global market.

“We are already incurring losses. The energy crisis will widen our losses,” said Alihussain.

“Although it has become necessary for the country, power cuts should be kept at a minimum level for industries. Otherwise, the wheels of the economy will slow down.”

The situation is particularly tough for factories like BSRM that do not have captive power plants, which use gas to generate power for their own consumption to avoid sudden power failures.

“The government should ensure a level-playing field between factories that have captive power plants and factories that do not have,” Alihussain said.

Mohammed Amirul Haque, managing director of Premier Cement, says they have already been suffering from a gas crunch.

“Now, power cuts have been added to the challenges. It will accelerate the cost of production as it takes a couple of hours for a heavy machine to restart,” he said, adding that there will be a 20-25 per cent production loss.

Md Helal Uddin, president of the Bangladesh Shop Owners Association, said they have accepted the government’s decision to ration power supply in view of the energy shortage and high subsidy bills for petroleum.

“We are complying with the decision but we are suffering. We would urge the government to ration power supply to all types of consumers in a staggered manner.”

The crisis is not limited to gas shortage alone.

For example, spinners and millers have bought cotton at higher prices from international markets.

“If they can’t run their mills, almost all of them will incur losses. The interest on bank loans will accumulate if they can’t pay instalments on time,” said Asia Composite’s Rana.

“Many buyers will pull out of Bangladesh if they don’t receive shipments within the stipulated time. If factories remain shut, workers will lose jobs and millers will go bankrupt.”

The entrepreneur urges the government to keep supplying gas to the industrial units even at higher prices.

“If the industrial units remain operational, the shipment will take place on time and Bangladesh will earn much-needed foreign currencies. Everybody should calculate the impacts of lower production or closure of industries.”

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Z&Z is owned by a Bangladesh-Hong Kong joint venture company situated inside Chattogram Export Processing Zone.

To get the duty benefits, an importer needs to get permission from Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority and the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

As an exporter, Z&Z Intimates had the opportunity to get a duty benefit of Tk 24 crore under the 170 Customs Procedure Code.

Bashir Ahmed, additional director general of CIID, said the duty of the imported car was not assessed although it was imported nearly 70 days ago.

The CIID later barred clearance of the vehicle from the port by locking the Bill of Entry, a legal document needed for importing goods from abroad, he said.

The CIID is now investigating the reasons behind the delay in duty assessment of the vehicle.

AKM Sultan Mahmud, deputy commissioner of the Chattogram office of the CIID, confirmed seizing the vehicle from Dhaka’s Baridhara.

No product has the opportunity to leave the port or customs house without completing duty assessment, he said.

Chattogram Customs Commissioner Fakrul Alam told The Daily Star, said normally duty assessment of an item is done when it is sent to the EPZ from the port.

“Now we are investigating how the Rolls-Royce reached the house of the managing director of the exporter company without completing the assessment.”

He said they have already sent a letter to the NBR. Further action will be taken after knowing NBR’s opinion, Alam said.

The officials of MI Trade Associates, the clearing and forwarding agent responsible for the release of the luxury car, declined to comment.

Sharif Zahir, managing director of Z&Z Intimates, said the company had the privilege to import the car duty-free because of operating a factory in EPZ area.