Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, the natural gas distributor in Bangladesh with, reportedly, 80 per cent market share, has decided to initiate steps against apparel units that are allegedly yet to clear outstanding gas bills even as reports suggest Titas have accumulated until May this year, unpaid gas bills, amounting to more than Taka 747 crore from 625 textile and apparel units.
Meanwhile, the BGMEA has underlined that from receiving the orders to getting export bills after shipments, it usually takes 120 days and the company (Titas) should only take actions whose dues exceed 90 days, while calling for some understanding even as it underlined that garment makers are particular about paying all their utility bills; however, at times, due to unwanted situations, there are delays.
Media reports maintained this while adding that on 16 June, Titas sent separate lists of the defaulting apparel and textile manufacturers to the BGMEA and the BTMA (Bangladesh Textile Mills Association) — as per Titas, 244 apparel units owe around Taka143 crore to it, while as per BGMEA estimation, the outstanding dues amount to Taka 78 crore from 129 defaulting units — to which the garment makers’ body replied on 27 June after verifying the claims, underlining it has asked its member factories to pay the dues at the earliest possible.
