Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has urged international apparel buyers to allow up to two weeks of additional time for shipment deliveries where necessary, as the country’s readymade garment (RMG) sector continues to grapple with a prolonged gas supply crisis.

The request was made during a virtual meeting between BGMEA leaders and representatives of leading global apparel brands on August 4.

Speaking after the meeting, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan said the association briefed buyers on the prevailing energy situation and informed them that gas supply is expected to begin improving from August 8, based on assurances from the relevant authorities.

Representatives from around two dozen international brands, including H&M, Kiabi and Decathlon, attended the meeting.

‘We informed the buyers that the current gas supply situation is expected to improve gradually from August 8,’ BGMEA president said.

He said BGMEA also requested buyers to consider extending delivery deadlines by up to two weeks where production has been disrupted by the gas shortage over the past fortnight.

According to Mahmud Hasan, the buyers did not immediately commit to the request but assured the association that they would consider genuine cases on merit, noting that shipment schedules depend on several factors beyond energy supply.

The meeting came as Bangladesh’s export-oriented garment industry faces mounting pressure from severe gas shortages, with many factories operating at only around 70 per cent of their production capacity.

Industry insiders said the prolonged disruption has raised concerns among international buyers over timely shipment of export orders.

Many exporters also fear delays could affect future work orders or prompt some buyers to divert a portion of their sourcing to competing destinations.

Speaking at another programme on Tuesday, BGMEA president said the gas crisis had reduced production capacity across the sector by around 30 to 40 per cent over the past two weeks.

He said the industry had already suffered financial losses because of the energy shortage but stressed that maintaining buyers’ confidence remained the foremost priority.

‘We held the meeting to ensure buyers are not alarmed and do not receive the wrong message about the situation,’ he said.

BGMEA president also noted that several garment factories had declared unscheduled closures of three to four days to manage operations amid the persistent gas supply disruption.