Minhazul Hoque, Director, Fatullah Dyeing & Calendering Mills Ltd.
A persistent gas shortage is severely disrupting textile dyeing operations in industrial hubs like Gazipur and Chattogram, industry insiders report. Dyeing unit managers are struggling to meet their daily production targets, leading to delays and rising quality concerns.
“I am supposed to receive approximately 22 tons of dyed fabric from the dyeing section each day,” said one production manager from a major textile facility in Gazipur. “But due to the ongoing gas shortage, I’m only getting 15 to 16 tons.”
The erratic gas supply is not only reducing output but also affecting the quality of the dyeing process. Unannounced drops in gas pressure are causing significant technical challenges, especially during the critical phase of shade matching.
“When gas pressure suddenly drops during a color dosing process, it becomes impossible to maintain shade consistency,” the manager explained. “To correct it, we have to reload the fabric into the dyeing machines which leads to major system losses.”
Industry professionals say the lack of communication from utility providers makes matters worse. “If we were informed ahead of time that gas would be unavailable from, say, 9 AM to 12 PM, we could plan accordingly and avoid sensitive dyeing processes during that window. But without notice, the machines are caught mid-process, leading to production chaos.”
The manager added that of the 14 machines in his facility, at any given time, up to six may be in the middle of color processing. “Until the process is complete, we don’t even know the full extent of the damage caused by gas flow interruptions.”
While raw materials such as gray fabrics are available in sufficient quantities, the gas-related constraints are bottlenecking the dyeing process, making it impossible for many manufacturers to scale production or meet tight international lead times.
With Gazipur, Narayanganj, and Chattogram all affected, industry stakeholders are urging authorities to improve communication and urgently find solutions to stabilize the gas supply before long-term losses further strain the already pressured garment and textile sector.
