Finance minister AMA Muhith on Sunday turned down a proposal of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association for special foreign currency assistance from the Bangladesh Bank.
The government would need additional foreign currency for implementation of the Padma Bridge project, he told the BTMA officials at a meeting at the secretariat.
The government last year decided to implement the Padma Bridge project after donor agencies led by the World Bank suspended credit programme worth more than US$ 2 billion, citing corruption in the tender process.
The estimated cost of the much-vaunted bridge across the mighty Padma is US$ 2.9 billion.
Muhith said it would be difficult to provide additional dollar by the central bank despite holding record reserve of more than US$ 18 billion at present.
BTMA officials led by its president Jahangir Alamin urged for foreign currency assistance of around US$ 300 million for importing capital machinery.
They also urged the finance minister for solving crisis of gas supply in Chittagong.
Muhith told them that it would take time to overcome the gas crisis in the port city.
The BTMA officials made a number demands including waiver of advance income tax on back-to-back letters of credit and local LCs and simplification of disbursement of five per cent special cash incentive.
-With New Age input
