Ceramic makers urge govt not to increase gas price
The Bangladesh Ceramic Manufacturers and Exporters Association has urged the government not to hike the price of fuel gas.
"This will be the eighth time in the last 10 years that the government has planned to increase gas prices by an average of 116%," association president Sirajul Islam Mollah said while speaking at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters' Unity on Monday.
Sirajul, "We urge the government not to increase the price of fuel gas used in manufacturing ceramic items to protect the gas-dependent domestic industry and thus help it stay competitive in the global market."
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The organisation said in 2019, production cost of ceramic products per kilogram increased by 10% to 12% on an average as a result of about 38% hike in gas prices in the industrial sector.
The association president said another hike will further raise production cost by 18-20% and will also have a cascading effect on all areas, transportation cost, he added.
Sirajul said they need to keep kilns or chimneys turned on 24 hours a day in a ceramic factory where it is required to have a minimum 15 pressure per square inch (PSI). The pressure goes down to 5 PSI frequently, but they have to pay bills for the full pressure.
The Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company has failed to deliver on its promise to install EVC (electronic volume corrector) meters to stop this injustice so they do not have to pay the bill without using gas, he also said, adding, "We demand an immediate installation of EVC meters."
Moynul Islam, vice-chairman at Monno Ceramics, said, "Six gas distribution companies have applied to the government to increase gas prices. The BERC will hold a public hearing on 21-24 March. We do not want any further rise in the gas price."
The Bangladesh Ceramic Manufacturers and Exporters Association said ceramics is now one of Bangladesh's biggest industries, and the business traces its inception back to the 1960s.
Apart from 66 brands, more than 100 manufacturing companies, both small and medium, have evolved in the country. At present, the sector employs around 5,00,000 people, including 55,000 direct employees and those from the backward linkage industry.
Annually, the sector manufactures 25 crore pieces of tableware, 15 crore square feet of tiles, and 50 lakh pieces of sanitaryware. A major part of the tableware is exported to Europe and the Middle East.
