Prime Minister’s Assurance Improves Gas Supply to Industries

Economy Report>

The gas supply situation in industrial units has started to improve as supply through the national gas transmission pipeline has increased. Gas pressure is now normal across the country. Business leaders hope that gas pressure will increase further in most industrial areas by Thursday and that the situation will return to normal.

Asked about the situation, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Administrator Md. Fazlul Haque said, “Until 12 noon today (yesterday), the gas pressure was more or less normal in almost all areas, as it was before. But there are two definitions of normal.

One is the condition before the crisis, which the Prime Minister said would be restored. That has happened in many areas. Some areas are doing better than before. I have received a complaint from only one factory in the Ashulia area, where there has been no improvement.”

Energy sector officials said it may take around 24 to 36 hours for the improved gas pressure to reach all parts of the country. “It is not like electricity, where everything can be supplied everywhere just by pressing a switch. So, it will take some time for gas pressure to reach 100 percent,” they said.

It may be mentioned that at a meeting with business leaders on Tuesday, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said gas supply to industrial units would return to the level of one and a half months earlier from that evening. The announcement brought relief among business leaders. Improvements in gas supply to industrial units are already being observed.

Petrobangla sources said gas supply through the national transmission pipeline increased significantly on Tuesday compared with the previous day. At 4pm that day, 2,606 million cubic feet of gas was supplied to the national grid. At the same time on the previous day, the supply was 2,345.3 million cubic feet.

Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) President Mohammad Hatem said gas pressure had returned to normal in the Chattogram region. “The exact situation of gas supply in Dhaka and surrounding industrial areas can be confirmed based on information from factory owners. The Prime Minister’s Office has been closely monitoring the gas supply situation since the morning. Information collected by speaking with factory owners in different zones is being regularly reported to the Prime Minister’s Office,” he said.

According to the information collected, there has been visible improvement in gas supply in the Chattogram zone. Gas is now available there at much better pressure than before. Although Dhaka, Mymensingh, Gazipur, Manikganj, Savar, Ashulia, Narayanganj and Narsingdi have not seen the same level of improvement as Chattogram, business leaders expect the situation in these areas to improve further.

Business leaders said the increase in gas supply to the national grid has shown signs of improvement in industrial areas. Normal pressure has already returned in Chattogram. They hope that if supply increases further in other industrial areas, gas pressure at factories will return to normal from tonight or by tomorrow.

Gas pressure has also increased in residential areas and CNG stations, in addition to industrial units. Md. Emdadul Haque, Deputy General Manager of Cab Express (BD) Limited, said, “Gas pressure has increased satisfactorily. As a result, there are no longer long queues of vehicles at filling stations like before. After compression, gas pressure is now close to 200. Just two days ago, it was around 130 to 135.”

Petrobangla sources said LNG was being supplied as needed, alongside continued production from domestic gas fields, to keep gas supply to the national grid normal. As a result, gas supply to power plants, industrial units, residential areas and CNG stations has increased.

Farhan Noor, Secretary General of the CNG Filling Station Owners Association, said, “After the Prime Minister’s intervention, gas pressure increased significantly from Tuesday night. The pressure is particularly higher in the new lines compared with the old lines. After compression, gas pressure is now close to 200. The pressure of vehicles at filling stations has decreased. We hope the pressure in the old lines will also gradually increase. Our expectation from the government is that gas pressure will be maintained at this level.”

He added, “During the previous government, the energy sector was made dependent on imports by sidelining domestic production. As a result, we are now facing extreme difficulties due to instability in the Middle East.”