KGDCL supplying 210m to 220m cft gas against total demand of more than 360m cft
Dissatisfaction is spreading among the businessmen and industrialists in the port city due to the stopping of gas supply and new gas connection to the industries of Chittagong. Ignoring the demand of the businessmen and industrialists of Chittagong and Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), gas supply to the industries is insufficient and giving connection of new gas lines has suspended in the port city Chittagong now. As a result, the production of the mills is being hampered severely due to the crisis of the gas now. CCCI president Mahabubul Alam has sent an emergency fax message to Dr Taufique E Elahi, the advisor to Prime Minister today urging to solve the prevailing gas crisis in Chittagong. In the fax message CCI chief Mahabubul Alam alleged that the production in industrial sector is severely hampered due to inadequate gas supply. “The production of steel mills, factories of RMG sector and other industries has already collapsed as the authority is supplying only half of the demanded quantity. Besides, the household users are also suffering a lot for shortage of gas in Chittagong. Moreover, vested quarters are trying to supply gas to Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Limited (CUFL) from the said gas now which may collapse the all production of industries in Chittagong,” CCI chief added.
In the letter, he urged to Dr Taufique E Elahi, the advisor to Prime Minister to solve the gas crisis in Chittagong on priority basis.
Talking with The Independent, President of CCCI Mahabubul Alam said, “Despite the government decision to supply the gas to Chittagong, the authority is yet to take step in this regard. As the production of gas in the country increased to 2250 cft now which was 1700 earlier, the Chittagong claimed the gas connections on priority basis.”
He urged to the government to provide new gas line to the Chittagong industries which have already completed all formalities in this regard. He also request for intervention of Toufique E Elahi, the Energy Advisor to the Prime Minister.
Talking with The Independent in this connection the CCCI chief Mahabubul Alam further said, “Gas is the most important particle for industrial and economical development of the country as well as the port city Chittagong. KGDCL is supplying 210 to 220 million cft gas in Chittagong against the total demand more than 360 million cft. The GDP was decreased 29 percent in industrial sector due to only crisis of gas, Besides, thousands crores of investment of the industrialists in the port is being idol due to the gas crisis as the crisis of gas hampered the production severely in Chittagong. Many foreign orders have already been cancelled in the past years due to the crisis of gas. As a result, the images of our businessmen and country are damaged for cancelling the foreign orders in garment sectors. ”
Discussing about the gas crisis in our country president of Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CMCCI) Alhaj Khalilur Rahman said, “it is true that there is no adequate gas in our country. So, we have to import Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) from other countries. If the government will not take decision to import LNG, the crisis of gas and power will not be solved.”
“Once upon a time, the incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took initiative to import LNG. But, the initiative of the Prime Minister is suspended due to unknown reason. At present, I request to the Prime Minister to take further step for importing LNG for the industrial growth,” Alhaj Khalilur Rahman added.
Sources said, many of the industries cannot run their production due to lack of gas supply and new gas connection.
Meanwhile, industrialists who imported machineries worth around taka 400 crores are going to be damaged for the same reason. Besides, around 150 crores taka investment has already decreased in the Chittagong area due to the lack of gas in last several years.
In the men time, the leaders of business community expressed dissatisfaction over the government decision of providing permission for new gas connection for 92 industries in the country except any industry of Chittagong. Recently the government has withdrawn the decision of stopping gas connection in the industries and provided permission a total of 92 industries that are set up in other districts of the country.
But, of the said 92 industries, no one is in Chittagong, which is a clear discrimination for Chittagong, sources said. According to the sources, gas supply to the industries particularly at the re-rolling mills has suspended from September 11 last year in the port city Chittagong. As a result, the production of the mills is being hampered severely due to the crisis of the gas now. The leaders of business community expressed deep concern over the suspension of gas supply.
Sources said, crisis of gas and power is prime obstacles for industrial development in Chittagong. The industries at Kalurghat, Sitakunda, Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) and garment industries are suffering from inadequate supply of gas and power in Chittagong.
According to sources in CCCI, more than 200 industrial units are now in pipe line for going to production. Of them 68 industrial units are quite ready to go to production. But due to shortage of gas those industries could not go to production.
It may be mentioned that the total demand of Chittagong 330 mmcft. But the KGDCL is supplying only 200 mmcft of gas daily. As a result, supply of gas to other industrial units has been badly affected. Smooth and proper supply of gas to those industrial units is being disrupted due to shortage of production in the country’s gas field. As a result production in the industrial units as well as the power generating units is hampered.
-With The Independent input
