The number of listed companies with suspended production operations on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) has risen to 35, with S Alam Cold Rolled Steels Ltd becoming the latest addition to the list.

According to DSE data, production at the company’s factory has been suspended since August 1 due to circumstances beyond its control. The company said its bank accounts were frozen without prior notice after August 5, 2024, while lending banks imposed restrictions on opening letters of credit (LCs), disrupting imports of essential raw materials and chemicals.

A shortage of skilled workers further aggravated the situation, eventually forcing the company to halt production. S Alam Cold Rolled Steels said it is working to overcome the problems and plans to resume operations once conditions improve. It also warned that a prolonged shutdown could have a significant negative impact on its financial position.

With the addition of the company, the number of closed or inactive industrial firms listed on the DSE has reached 35.

DSE sources said some of the companies have informed the exchange about operational difficulties, while others did not disclose that their factories had stopped production. In some cases, DSE inspections found that factory operations had already ceased.

Most of the companies stopped production between 2020 and 2026, while several have remained inactive for much longer. Meghna PET Industries has been closed since 2002, making it the longest-running production shutdown among listed industrial companies. Bangladesh Welding Electrodes has been out of production since 2016.

The inactive companies represent a range of sectors, including steel, textiles, power, cement, engineering, ceramics, food processing and chemicals.

Before S Alam Cold Rolled Steels, Active Fine Chemicals and AFC Agro Biotech, both from the same group, were the latest companies added to the inactive list.

The DSE currently has 360 listed companies, including 160 in the ‘A’ category, 74 in the ‘B’ category and 126 in the ‘Z’ category. A significant number of the inactive companies are classified under the ‘Z’ category.