Giving new gas connection for household use in the Rajshahi city has remained stalled since Sunday over an attack on the workers of the firm tasked with distribution of the connection, causing sufferings to the city people. Local people said some extortionists attacked the workers of Measures Industrial Technical Services at Kazihata in the city on Saturday as they refused to pay extortion money.
Among the injured, a worker, Alauddin, received serious injury and was admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
The extortionists also allegedly threatened to kill the company’s project manager, Ramjan Ali, if he would not pay the money.
Ramjan Ali lodged a case with the Rajpara police in this connection.
The extortionists were threatening Ramjan Ali to withdraw the case immediately, said the company insiders.
In this circumstance, the Measures Industrial Technical Services on Sunday decided to suspend giving new gas connections.
Ramjan Ali told New Age that they sent an application to the Paschimanchal Gas Company Limited, a concern of Petro Bangla, to take necessary steps to bring the situation under control.
Meanwhile, the city dwellers were suffering because of the strike and expressed their dissatisfaction regarding the incident.
Insar Ali, a resident of Hetom Khan in the city, told New Age that he submitted an application for gas connection and paid money to the authorities three months ago but did not get it yet.
The Rajshahi Rakkha Sangram Parishad president, Liakat Ali, told New Age that the construction firm was able to give gas connection to 50 houses every day which was not adequate.
‘We demanded appointment of more firms so that at least five hundred houses per day would get connections, but the authorities did not listen to us,’ he said.
The firm was observing strike without considering the sufferings of the people, he added.
Liakat Ali said they would form a human chain for immediate resumption and speedy distribution of gas connection.
The Paschimanchal Gas Company Limited in-charge, Tofael Ahmed, told New Age that they were trying to solve the crisis.
Tofael Ahmed also informed that they had no plan to recruit more firms soon.
The project of supplying gas in Rajshahi was approved at a meeting of ECNEC in July, 2006 and the then prime minister, Khaleda Zia, inaugurated the project the same year.
After seven years the Petro Bangla chairman, Hossain Monsur, inaugurated the gas supply to the houses of the city on June 7, 2013.
-With New Age input
