BKMEA Outlines Five-Point Demand Amid Energy Crisis in Narayanganj
The Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association has put forward five key demands during a meeting at its Narayanganj office. Business leaders called for extended loan classification deadlines and flexible utility bill payments amid severe energy shortages.
Amid the ongoing and severe energy crisis affecting the industrial sector, the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) has formally presented a comprehensive five-point set of demands. The announcement and discussion took place today, Saturday, during a high-profile exchange meeting held at the organization's regional office located in Narayanganj. Mohammad Hatem, along with representatives from organizations including Samakal, participated in the deliberations as business leaders addressed the mounting pressures facing local manufacturers and industrial units throughout the region.
During the meeting at the Narayanganj office, the leaders highlighted the severe financial distress currently plaguing the manufacturing community. According to the discussed statistics, many industrial institutions have experienced production shutdowns lasting approximately one month due to the compounding crisis, pushing numerous enterprises into critical financial difficulties. The extended halt in manufacturing activities has severely disrupted supply chains and operational continuity for numerous factories operating under the BKMEA umbrella.
To mitigate these mounting financial pressures, the association has strongly demanded a crucial modification regarding banking regulations. Specifically, the BKMEA has called for the deadline to declare industrial loans as classified loans to be extended from the current duration of six months to a full twelve months. Business leaders argued that this vital extension is urgently required to prevent mass defaults and to provide industrial units with the necessary breathing room to recover from the ongoing economic shocks.
In addition to banking relief, the five-point proposal addresses immediate utility obligations that are straining factory budgets. The organization has officially requested that industrial consumers be granted the special facility to pay their accumulated gas and electricity bills for the months of June and July through manageable installments spread across the upcoming twelve months. This proposed flexibility aims to prevent immediate utility disconnections while factories struggle to stabilize their cash flows.
Furthermore, the BKMEA addressed critical infrastructural and regulatory issues during the Saturday session at the Narayanganj office. The organization firmly demanded the immediate disconnection of all illegal gas connections currently operating within the system, alongside the strict implementation of punitive measures against those responsible for these unauthorized lines. Concurrently, to conserve dwindling resources for productive sectors, the association has pressed for a complete halt in the supply of compressed natural gas (CNG) to privately owned passenger vehicles.
