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Wednesday | October 07, 2026 | Dhaka

Textile millers seek opposition help over power crisis

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:01 AM, 07 October 2026

Leaders of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) have sought Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman’s support in addressing persistent gas and electricity shortages, higher taxes and other policy challenges facing the textile sector.

A BTMA delegation raised the issues during a meeting with Shafiqur, also the ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, at his official residence in Dhaka on Tuesday.

“Gas and electricity are continuing problems. There has been considerable improvement, but some factories are still facing problems,” BTMA Vice President Shafiqul Islam Sarker told reporters after the meeting.

The delegation also discussed incentives, increased taxes, Bangladesh’s graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category and the misuse of bonded yarn, he said.

“We have informed the opposition leader about our existing problems, including issues related to incentives, gas and electricity, LDC graduation and increased taxes,” Sarker said.

He said the textile sector has around $32 billion in investment and serves as a key backward-linkage industry for the country’s readymade garment sector by supplying yarn and other raw materials.

Mia Golam Porwar, assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, said Shafiqur assured the delegation that he would raise the sector’s concerns in Parliament and work with the government to address them.

He said the opposition would support government initiatives taken in the public interest while opposing measures it considers harmful, describing the approach as “constructive opposition.”