Dhaka, July 29, 2026: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to address the ongoing gas crisis affecting Bangladesh’s industrial sector, stressing the need for coordinated action to ensure uninterrupted industrial production and economic growth.
The directive came on Wednesday when the Prime Minister joined the first meeting of the High-Level Inter-Ministerial Committee formed to resolve challenges facing the textile industry. The meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Bangladesh Secretariat, where he listened to concerns raised by government officials and industry representatives.
The Prime Minister instructed the committee to convene another meeting within one week, bringing together all relevant stakeholders to identify key challenges facing the industrial sector and recommend immediate policy and operational measures.
The meeting was attended by Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir, Economic and Planning Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Bangladesh Bank Governor Md Mostakur Rahman, Acting Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Ahsan Habib, and other senior government officials.
The high-level committee was formed following a meeting on July 22 between the Prime Minister and a delegation from the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), led by its President Shawkat Aziz Russell. During that meeting, industry leaders highlighted the severe gas shortage, rising production costs and other challenges affecting the country’s textile sector.
Addressing Wednesday’s meeting, the Commerce Minister said the Prime Minister is fully aware of the difficulties confronting the textile industry and is committed to resolving them through coordinated government action. He noted that the committee had been established to formulate practical recommendations for restoring the sector’s competitiveness.
BTMA President Shawkat Aziz Russell presented an overview of the industry’s major challenges, placing particular emphasis on inadequate gas supply, rising production costs and underutilization of manufacturing capacity caused by low gas pressure.
Committee members and representatives of the textile industry exchanged views on possible solutions to restore reliable energy supplies and improve the operating environment for manufacturers.
The government expects the committee’s recommendations and the upcoming stakeholder consultation to pave the way for prompt decisions aimed at easing the gas crisis and supporting Bangladesh’s export-oriented industrial sector.
