Titas finally restores gas supply to Munshiganj industries after 47 days
The state-owned gas transmission company restored the gas supply to the industries on Wednesday night, officials at these industries told The Business Standard.
More than a dozen industries in Gazaria, Munshiganj, which had faced factory closures due to a lack of gas supplies, have received their "critical" energy from Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company after a 47-day halt.
The state-owned gas transmission company restored the gas supply to the industries on Wednesday night, officials at these industries told The Business Standard.
TBS on Monday published a news report headlined "Titas Gas' misstep throws Munshiganj industries out of production" after Titas on 28 April had stopped gas supply to areas covering Gazaria to Daudkandi Bridge without any prior notice while attempting to sever illegal household connections.
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According to sources at Titas, the company had decided to cut off gas supply as part of an effort to minimise its unusually high systems loss – exceeding 40% – in the Gazaria area, which is far higher than its average of 5.28% in the last fiscal year.
However, this misstep forced the factories, including manufacturers of 100% export-oriented ready-made garments, paper, cement, feed, electronics, and cables, to halt production, officials of these industries told TBS.
After the news was published, Titas Gas authorities conducted a mobile court with the help of the Munshiganj district administration to disconnect illegal connections.
The operation continued for three days, and on the first day, Titas disconnected around 2,500 illegal connections.
On Wednesday, Titas Managing Director Engineer Md Harunur Rashid Mollah visited the area, and after removing the illegal connections, gas supply to the industries was restored.
Adhunik Paper Mills, a company under Akij Ventures, produces cartons for packaging export-oriented products and employs over 300 workers. The factory had been closed since 28 April due to the lack of gas supply. After the gas connection was restored, factory operations resumed on Wednesday.
Al Amin, an official at the company, told TBS, "As we got the connection restored, factory operations resumed. All the workers are working in the factory."
On Sunday, Pacific Denims, a 100% export-oriented company listed on the stock exchanges, announced an indefinite shutdown of production at its Gazaria factory.
Its company Secretary Md Sohrab Ali told TBS, "We got back the gas connection after over a month when Titas opened the main gas line. We declared leave for our workers owing to Eid; the factory will resume operation after the holiday."
The factories located in the Gazaria Industrial Area include: Super Star Group Limited, Men's Fee Paper Mills, Modern Paper Mills, Pioneer Paper Mills, Hasan Rubber Limited, Pacific Denim, SSG Paper Mills, New Hope Feed Company, Qazi Farms, Anwar Cement Sheet, Super Star Cable, Poly Cable, and Meghna Garments.
