Mohammad Ali Khokon, President, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) has urged the government to ensure a smooth supply of gas and electricity for the textile industry.

The association also demanded a withdrawal of the 7 per cent VAT on jhut collection and 15 per cent VAT on recycled yarn by the next budget. Further, it called for a reduction in the tax deducted at source from textile mills for the entire process involving supply of yarn, fabrics, dyeing and finishing to only 4 per cent

To make the industry more competitive for export, the government needs to remove the import duty on manmade fiber products, the association said. Its last demand included measures to make bank rates more affordable as the association would need double state value addition after graduation to get access to major markets after graduation.