Industrialists have urged the government to allow factories to pay their gas and electricity bills for June and July in installments over 12 months, citing severe financial losses caused by ongoing energy shortages.

Members of the Narayanganj Zone of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) made the demand at a discussion meeting on Saturday. BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem chaired the meeting.

The entrepreneurs said gas and fuel shortages triggered by recent incidents and the global situation had disrupted or halted production at many factories for nearly a month. Despite production losses, businesses continued to bear expenses for gas, electricity, workers’ wages and other operational costs, putting additional pressure on their finances.

They urged BKMEA to approach the government for permission to pay the June and July gas and electricity bills over 12 months in installments, alongside existing outstanding bills.

They also called for a suspension of gas and electricity disconnections at industrial establishments during the crisis period, even if bills remain unpaid.

The industrialists further demanded an immediate crackdown on illegal gas connections and legal action against those involved. They said eliminating illegal connections would reduce gas wastage, increase supply for legitimate consumers and lower system losses.

To ease the gas shortage, they proposed maintaining adequate supplies for public transport while suspending CNG sales to privately owned vehicles during the crisis.

The entrepreneurs stressed the need for priority-based gas allocation and more effective supply management to keep industrial production running.

They also called for weekly press briefings on the country’s gas and fuel supply situation until the crisis improves. According to them, a lack of reliable information is making it difficult for businesses to plan production and operations.

The industrialists also highlighted mounting pressure on export-oriented businesses due to unfavorable global trade conditions. They said the energy crisis had further weakened the ability of many factories to repay loans.

They therefore called for extending the existing six-month period for classifying loans as default to 12 months.

The entrepreneurs said policy support from the government was essential to help industries overcome the temporary financial strain alongside restoring normal energy supplies. Otherwise, they warned, prolonged production disruptions could adversely affect exports, employment and the broader industrial sector.