Jamal Uddin Jahed,Daily Tourist: Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Iqbal Hasan Mahmud has assured of a speedy resolution of the gas and electricity crisis to ensure uninterrupted production in the country’s ready-made garment industry.The assurance was given at a meeting of a delegation of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) with Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmud and State Minister Anindya Islam Amit at the ministry today.At the meeting, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan said that although international buyers’ confidence has returned after the elections, the ongoing war in the Middle East has created new uncertainty in the global market. This crisis has put Bangladesh’s ready-made garment industry in a delicate situation as neighboring countries are ahead in energy security. He said that due to the lack of necessary gas and electricity supply, the production capacity of factories has currently decreased by 25 to 30 percent. Production and export activities are being hampered due to frequent load shedding and lack of sufficient diesel to run generators, especially in the Gazipur and Ashulia industrial areas. In the meeting, the BGMEA delegation put forward several proposals to overcome the crisis. These include ensuring prompt supply of diesel from filling stations under special arrangements to ready-made garment factories, providing emergency gas connections to small and medium industries, and ensuring gas supply on an equal basis to all industrial areas surrounding Dhaka. In addition, it was proposed to quickly install additional FSRUs, simplify the process of installing EVC (electrical voltage) meters in the industrial sector, and reduce production costs by reducing existing duties and VAT on imported fuel. In addition, it was proposed to install at least two additional FSRUs as soon as possible, simplify the process of installing EVC meters in the industrial sector, and reduce production costs by reducing existing duties and VAT on imported fuel. The meeting also emphasized the need to increase the use of renewable energy. To ensure environmentally friendly industrialization, a request has been made for special duty concessions on the import of solar PV system equipment in the garment industry. The BGMEA has proposed reducing the high duty on solar panels, inverters, DC cables and battery energy storage systems (BESS) from the current 28.73 percent to 61.80 percent to 1 percent. The Minister and the State Minister assured to consider the proposals seriously and mentioned the important contribution of the readymade garment industry to the country’s economy. At the same time, they approved the format provided by the BGMEA to ensure the supply of diesel from the nearest filling station on an emergency basis. Energy Secretary Mohammad Saiful Islam and other concerned officials were present at the meeting.