CUFL suspends production due to gas shortage
Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Limited (CUFL) has suspended its production at 9:30pm on Tuesday due to shortage of gas.
Gas is one of main raw materials of the CUFL for producing urea and ammonia fertilisers and the CUFL needs 41 million cubic metres (mmcf) gas per day to keep its production continue.
The CUFL's everyday urea production capacity is 1,700 tonnes while ammonia production capacity is 1,000 tonnes. The company can produce 561,000 tonnes of urea annually.
Engr Md Akhtaruzzaman, managing director of CUFL told media that due to gas crisis they have suspended the production.
Nurul Amin, acting president of CUFL Employees and Workers Association told The Business Standard, "Without any prior notice, authorities suspended the production. But it was not declared when production will be resumed."
Around 850 workers and employees are working at CUFL.
On Sunday, Engr Md Akhtaruzzaman told The Business Standard that the government has directed them to continue production by rationing. After two days of the decision of rationing, the CUFL halted its production.
Jamuna Fertilizer Company Limited (JCFL), another major state-owned fertiliser company under the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) has not been able to operate for a month too due to gas crisis in the country.