B Mirror Report: Leaders of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) have urged the government to ensure uninterrupted energy supply for the country’s readymade garment (RMG) sector, citing ongoing challenges in production and global market instability.

They made the request during a meeting with the Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Iqbal Hassan Mahmood and State Minister Aninda Islam Amit at the ministry on Sunday.

The BGMEA delegation was led by President Mahmud Hasan Khan and included First Vice-President Selim Rahman and Vice-President (Finance) Mizanur Rahman. Energy Secretary Mohammad Saiful Islam was also present at the meeting.

During the discussion, the BGMEA President said that while buyer confidence had begun to recover following the recent general election, renewed instability in the Middle East had again created pressure in the global market.

He added that competitor countries are currently ahead in ensuring energy security, placing Bangladesh’s garment industry in a vulnerable position. According to a BGMEA press release, he noted that gas and electricity shortages have reduced factory production capacity by 25–30 percent.

To address the situation, the BGMEA delegation placed several proposals, including ensuring emergency diesel supply to factories from nearby filling stations under special arrangements, providing urgent gas connections to small and medium industries, and ensuring equitable gas distribution in industrial zones around Dhaka.

They also called for infrastructure expansion and automation, including the installation of additional Floating Storage Regasification Units (FSRUs) and simplification of procedures for installing EVC meters in industries.

In addition, the association proposed withdrawal of import duties and consumer-level taxes on fuel imports to reduce production costs and ease pressure on government subsidies.

The BGMEA also stressed the importance of renewable energy development, requesting tariff concessions on imported solar energy equipment to encourage sustainable industrial growth. They proposed reducing existing duties on solar panels, inverters, DC cables, and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to 1 percent.

The minister and state minister listened to the proposals and assured that necessary steps would be considered, taking into account the RMG sector’s vital contribution to the national economy. They also acknowledged the proposed mechanism for facilitating emergency diesel supply from nearby filling stations.