Khulna-Jessore Mills
Power suspension to badly affect production
A government decision to suspend power supply from 6:00pm to 10:00pm daily will badly affect production in the mills and factories, said mill authorities in Khulna-Jessore industrial belt.
An official order will be issued soon to comply with the government decision aiming at reducing 'load shedding' of electricity during the peak hour, sources at West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCL) said yesterday.
The suspension of power supply for four hours at a stretch during peak hour will hamper daily production of around 100 tonnes of jute goods worth over Tk one crore in eight state-owned jute mills of Khulna-Jessore industrial belt, said Md Rafiqul Islam Mian, liaison officer of Khulna Zonal Office of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC).
About 20,000 night shift workers of the eight jute mills will also lose their jobs when this decision is implemented.
The power supply reduction will harm production of 25 tonnes of jute goods at Crescent Jute Mills, 20 tonnes at Platinum Jute Mills, 15 tonnes at Khalishpur Jute Mills, 12 tonnes at Star Jute Mills, six tonnes at Aleem Jute Mills, seven tonnes at Eastern Jute Mills, eight tonnes at Jessore Jute Industries and four tonnes at Carpeting Jute Mills, said the BJMC official.
Suspension of power supply for four hours during peak hour will also hit export of processed frozen shrimps worth Tk 200 crore, sources said.
"March to July every year is the peak season for collecting shrimps that is processed and kept in freezing plants for export. Suspension of power supply during the peak hour will affect amount and quality of processed shrimps as uninterrupted power supply is required for the purpose," said Humayun Kabir, director of Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters' Association.
"In accordance with the government decision, I have already requested authorities of jute mills not to ask for power supply for four hours from 6:00pm to 10:00pm every day," said Abul Kalam Azad, managing director of WZPDCL.
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