Fuel price hike squeezes low-income families in N’ganj

Low-income people in Narayanganj are struggling under the combined pressure of rising fuel prices and higher prices of essential commodities, while gas and electricity shortages are disrupting industrial production and forcing many workers out of jobs.

As incomes shrink and household expenses rise, many families are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet.

Rabeya Khatun, 55, used to work at a small garment factory in the Panchabati BSCIC Industrial Estate. She is now unemployed after the factory shut down amid gas and electricity shortages.

The factory authorities owed her three months’ wages, of which one month has since been paid.

Rabeya said she had to use the money she received to pay her house rent first. With what remained, she struggled to buy essential groceries. With her limited income, she said, it is no longer possible to shop as she did before.

At times, she has had to manage on two meals a day with simple dishes such as mashed potatoes and lentils, she said.

“My son is currently unemployed. His wife works at Faria Garments in Narayanganj for a modest salary,” Rabeya said. “It has become extremely difficult to cover food, rent and other household expenses with only one small income supporting a four-member family.

I am constantly worried about how we will get by.” Workers in Panchabati BSCIC, Fatullah and surrounding industrial areas said production at several factories has been disrupted by shortages of gas and electricity. While some factories have cut production, a number of small factories have also shut down, affecting workers’ jobs and regular incomes.

BKMEA Vice President Morshed Sarwar Sohel said low gas pressure disrupts factory operations, while power outages force factories to rely on generators. As diesel is used to run the generators, production costs increase.

The recent rise in fuel prices has pushed those costs even higher, placing additional pressure on small and medium-sized industrial enterprises.

Higher fuel prices have also increased transportation costs, driving up the prices of essential goods. With their purchasing power declining, many low-income families are being forced to cut back on food and other necessities.

As one of the country’s major industrial hubs, Narayanganj is home to a large number of workers and their families whose livelihoods depend heavily on industrial production. Prolonged disruption in the industrial sector could affect not only workers but also small businesses and the transport sector, stakeholders said.

Workers called for uninterrupted gas and electricity supplies to factories and effective measures to stabilise the prices of essential commodities. They said such steps would help restore industrial production while protecting employment and incomes.