Around 17-18 per cent of Gazipur’s factories have declared a three-day closure amid a severe gas crisis, sending thousands of workers home.

The shutdown, combined with Wednesday and Friday public holidays, triggered Eid-like crowds on the Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail highways, with bus shortages, traffic jams and allegations of inflated fares.

Industrial Police Superintendent Md Amzad Hossain said workers began leaving after Tuesday’s shifts, with heavy crowds continuing Wednesday morning.

Local buses were pressed into long-distance service, while many passengers turned to CNG-run and battery-powered autorickshaws.

Gazipur is one of Bangladesh’s biggest industrial hubs, housing thousands of garment, textile, spinning, knitting, dyeing, pharmaceutical and other factories.

Some are operating at reduced capacity until gas supplies improve.

Gas demand in the district is around 550 million cubic feet a day, against supply of roughly 300 million, leaving a daily shortfall of about 200 million cubic feet, Titas officials said.

Manager Md Saifuzzaman said, “The district currently has a gas shortage of around 45 per cent. Factories in Kaliakair, Sreepur and Tongi BSCIC are suffering the most from low pressure.”

Factory owners warned prolonged shortages could hurt exports and cost future orders.