As Jamuna Fertiliser Company Ltd, the country's largest urea producer located in Sarishabari upazila of Jamalpur, has stopped production for seven months due to gas shortage, valuable machines are being damaged gradually as they are not being used for a long time.
Farmers are fearing shortage of urea fertilizer this season due to stoppage of production at the factory while hundreds of families of daily wage workers and transport workers are living an inhumane life with their families.
The factory was producing 1,700 tons of urea daily since its establishment. The plant requires 42-43 psi of gas daily for uninterrupted production. But due to lack of gas pressure and various defects, the production of the factory has decreased and it was producing 1,200 tons of urea fertiliser. The BCIC decided to keep fertiliser production uninterrupted in Ghorashal and Palash Urea Fertiliser Company. For this reason, Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company has reduced the gas pressure in Jamuna Fertiliser Factory from January 15 this year to ensure sufficient gas supply there. Urea production in Jamuna has been stopped since then. The factory authorities said if this large industrial factory cannot be kept operational with quick gas connection, it is in danger of being completely destroyed.
The fertiliser produced by Jamuna fertiliser factory is supplied to Jamalpur,Sherpur, Mymensingh, Tangail, Rajbari and 16 districts of North Bengal through about 2,500 dealers. If the production is stopped for a long time, there is a danger of fertiliser shortage in the commanding area of the factory.
Several workers based on the daily wages of the factory, including truck transport workers, said there are about 400 trucks and lorries involved in the factory. Transport drivers, workers and local businessmen are living a miserable life as factories have been closed for a long time. Our standard of living has gone down. Along with that, due to the closure of the factory, the parts of the factory are also getting damaged. They fear that if the factory is closed, this industry will also be closed like the sugar and jute industries. Therefore, they said by connecting gas to Jamuna Fertiliser Factory, the authorities concerned can rescue the transport workers and traders from living inhumanely.
Meanwhile, Rabiul Islam, president of the Jamuna Fertiliser Factory Workers' Union (CBA), said if the Jamuna Fertiliser Factory is closed for a day, the government is facing a loss of around Tk 3.5 crore.
If imported from outside the country, one ton of fertiliser costs about Tk one lakh. But the Jamuna factory produces one ton of urea fertiliser at a cost of Tk 25,000. Therefore, if this factory is operational, the country will benefit and the farmers will also avoid additional expenses. In this regard, Deputy Chief Engineer (Chemical) of Jamuna Fertiliser Factory and Head of Ammonia and Utilities Department Md Fazlul Haque said, “While our plant was running, we received a phone call from the head office that the plant should be closed now. Then, we shut down the plant immediately. Till now, we have not been able to restart the factory due to shortage of gas. However, if it is closed for a long time, it becomes difficult to start the plant. Besides, when the factory will be opened, the higher authority can say better.
