BCMEA urging the government not to raise gas prices

Bangladesh Ceramic Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BCMEA) has requested the government to refrain from raising fuel gas prices.

During a conference at Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) on Monday (14 March), BCMEA President Sirajul Islam Mollah said, "The Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) had adopted another plan to increase gas prices. This will be the 7th time in the last 10 years."

The organisation said that in 2019, the average production cost of ceramic products per kg increased by 10 to 12% as a result of about 38% increase in gas prices in the industrial sector.

Citing recent data released by various media outlets, BCMEA said that this is the eight-time in the last 10 years that the government has planned to increase gas prices by an average of 116%.

BCMEA president said that this will further increase the production cost of the product by 18-20%. As a result of the increase in the price of fuel gas, the cost will increase in all areas including transportation cost, he added. 

The ceramic industry will suffer the most from the rise in gas prices. Entrepreneurs, investing financial institutions and above all the country will suffer immensely due to the inability of domestic products to compete with foreign products in the price competition, BCMEA added. 

"In such circumstances, we urge the government not to increase the price of fuel gas used in the ceramic industry to protect the gas-dependent domestic ceramic industry and to keep this emerging industry in the competitive world market," BCMEA President Sirajul Islam Mollah further said.