Anisul Islam Noor :Despite increased generation, about 257 industries in Dhaka and Chittagong have been waiting for gas connection. Some of the industries have already installed all necessary equipment but they could not go into operation due to lack of gas.Resulting, a frustration grips among the entrepreneurs who have already invested huge capital in the industries and the new investors are feeling discourage to invest seeing the situation.The government has failed to attract mentionable Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in recent years. Though so many FDI proposals submitted in the Board of Investment (BoI) but those were not implemented finally as the government failed to commit gas connection.Currently, Petrobangla has been producing about 2722.4 mmcf natural gas from 98 wells though its subsidiary against daily demand is 3200mmcf. Around 14.32 TCF gas storage remained in 26 gas field which will be fully consumed by 2030. When this government came to power in 2009, the country’s daily gas generation was 1800-2020 mmcf. Meanwhile, the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) has urged the government to ensure adequate gas and power supplies to industries by August this year. “The government has already taken a number of positive initiatives to meet the power demand of industrial sector, and we’re getting benefit. But, industries and factories are unable to go on fully operation for lack of their required power and gas demand,” FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmad said.For lack of adequate power supply, he said, many industries are being run through using captive power generated by their own management, which only increases the production cost. The FBCCI president said there is no alternative to ensuring smooth and uninterrupted power and gas supplies to industries in order to continue the existing production and promote investment. Abdul Matlub said a large number of industries, including that of textile and garments, have been set up in the country in the last couple of years and the gas transmission and distribution companies have already issued ‘demand notes’ against the industries to provide gas connections. “But, gas connections are yet to be given to those industries,” he said, urging the authorities concerned to give gas connections to those industries immediately.BGMEA President Atiqul Islam said, we able to achieve target of $50 billion dollar by 2021 if the adequate gas supply ensured in the factories”.233 factories can not start production due to lack of gas connection that is not good for business, he said.According to Petrobangla, 17 percent gas has been supplying in industries, 41 percent for electricity, 17 percent in captive power plants, 8 percent in fertilizer factories, 5 percent in CNG pumps and 11 percent in household. State minister for power, energy and mineral resources said, the government has taken steps to explore gas on the offshore Bay of Bengal. There is possibility of good storage natural gas, he said.Besides, it is under consideration to import gas from Myanmar through pipeline. The neighbouring country has enough gas, the minister said.
