Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has assured business leaders that the government will take steps to resolve the ongoing gas shortage affecting the country’s industrial sector, according to Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) President Showkat Aziz Russell.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with the prime minister at the Secretariat on Wednesday, Russell said textile entrepreneurs were encouraged by the government’s commitment to addressing the sector’s challenges.

He said the government has asked factory owners to submit detailed reports identifying the level of support needed by fully closed and partially affected factories to help determine appropriate assistance measures.

Russell expressed optimism that the crisis could be resolved, adding that the prime minister is making an effort to understand the problems facing the textile industry.

He also remarked that if the industry had received the same level of government attention over the past 17 years, the current situation might have been avoided.

According to sources familiar with the meeting, discussions focused on the gas supply situation for industries, disruptions to production, and measures needed to keep factories operational amid the energy shortage.