SYLHET, Aug 17 (V7N) — Severe shortages of gas and electricity have brought tea processing activities in Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Habiganj to a near standstill, disrupting production during the peak tea-growing season.

Tea factories across the region, one of Bangladesh’s main tea-producing areas, are struggling to process fresh tea leaves on time. Frequent power outages are disrupting key operations, including cutting, rolling, withering and sorting, while low gas pressure is hampering the drying process.

Industry insiders said July and August are the peak months for tea production. Any prolonged disruption during this period could cause significant financial losses while also affecting tea quality and the annual production target.

A source at the Sylhet BSCIC industrial area said on Saturday night that Jalalabad Gas had initially indicated that gas supplies to industrial units might be suspended indefinitely. The gas authorities later said rough sea conditions had temporarily disrupted the unloading of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Gas supplies were subsequently restored after the situation improved.

However, industry operators said gas pressure remained low. At the BSCIC Gotatikor area, load-shedding occurred seven to eight times on Saturday, they said.

According to Bangladesh Tea Board data, Sylhet Division has a large number of tea estates, including 19 in Sylhet district, 91 in Moulvibazar and 25 in Habiganj. Although not every estate has its own processing facility, large and central factories process fresh leaves collected from several surrounding estates.

There are an estimated 70 to 80 registered and active tea-processing factories across the greater Sylhet region. More than 100,000 permanent and temporary tea workers are employed in the sector, while around five lakh people, including members of tea-growing communities, depend on the industry directly or indirectly.

Factory operators said power outages currently last for an average of 10 to 12 hours a day, making it extremely difficult to keep machinery running. When electricity goes out, cutting, rolling and other machinery comes to a halt. Even after power is restored, the machines cannot always be restarted immediately.

Raju Goala, president of the Valley Tea Workers’ Association in Sylhet, said factories were experiencing power cuts seven to eight times a day on average.

“Once the machinery stops, it takes around 30 to 40 minutes to restart operations. At the same time, gas pressure remains low, causing problems in the drying process,” he said. “As a result, the tea leaves are not being dried properly, which is affecting the quality of the finished tea.”

July and August are considered the most important months for tea production in Bangladesh. Disruptions during this period could therefore have a negative impact on the country’s overall annual output.

The Bangladesh Tea Board has set a nationwide tea production target of 10 crore 40 lakh kilogrammes for 2026. However, ongoing gas and electricity shortages have raised concerns among industry stakeholders about whether the target can be achieved.

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