S.A Shofiee, Sylhet :
Gas-connection, re-connection and connection extension remained suspended in Sylhet since November, 2015 when in a sudden move, Jalalabad Gas suspended all types of gas connection including domestic ones under the Jurisdiction of the company till date.
Earlier in another move, on 3rd January, 2013, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Affairs suspended new gas connection all over the country excepting Jalalabad Gas area in Sylhet division where Haripur, Chattak, Rashidpur (Habigonj), Bibiana (Nabigonj), Kailashtila (Golapgonj), Beanibazar and Sylhet (Lakkatura) gas fields are being operated and almost half of total gas has been being transmitted from all those afore-said gas fields to the national grid. Although new gas connections were suspended all over the country, but gas connections were continued sporadically till November, 2015 in Sylhet Division. In 2018, the then Finance Minister A.M.A. Muhith said that new gas connection would be given soon in Sylhet. But this has not been done yet.
There was a decision taken in May 2018 by concerned ministry in order to allot gas connection in a controlled manner in which the gas-connection applicants who submitted taka and had demand note subsequently would be allowed connection in which outstanding applicants cases would be considered on priority basis. But till date the government’s endeavour has not been executed to grant gas connections to the outstanding applicants numbering over 10,000 under Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution Company in Sylhet Division. These applicants paid up the due fees before the closure order and procured their demand notes in order to get new gas connection. Owing to the suspension of new gas connection and extension, the housing sector in Sylhet has been in jeopardy.
Owing to suspension of new gas connection, more than five thousand flat owners and multi-storeyed building owners have become losers as their flats have not been either transferred to the clients who again fail to attract hirers owning to the absence of gas connection.
At Chowkidekhi in Sylhet City, Salik Miah constructed a 5-storeyed luxurious building in 2016. He did not get gas connection for which he could not procure hirers even offering gas cylinders of his own. He even failed to get rent half of the required amount of hiring money. Got despaired expatiate Salik Miah went back to London a few days ago. For the last two decades, housing became profit-earning sector that could mitigate housing problem for service holders in particular. One Mr. A. Hussain of Sheikhgat area while talking to this correspondent said he has become loser after constructing a seven-storeyed building in which hirers are reluctant to take flats or units owing to cylinder gas connection. The owners of houses are offering cylinders to hirers in order to attract them.
As a result, the building owners who constructed their establishment from bank loans can not repay their bank loan and become defaulters and have been facing cases under Non-Negotiable Instrument (N.I) Act under Bangladesh Penal Code.
Besides, new Foreign Minister Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen in his election manifesto announced his programmes to solve various problems including suspension of gas connection is Sylhet City and its adjoining areas but no steps have been taken up by the Jalalabad Gas Company.
It has been learnt from Jalalabad Gas source that 2000 million cubic feet gas have been transmitted to national grid line while only 250 million cubic feet gas is supplied all over Sylhet Division which is only 7% of total gas drilled in the aforesaid gas fields in Sylhet Division. So new gas connection in Sylhet is logical and Jalalabad Gas is a profit-earning company as there is almost no system loss here. Besides, there are only 70,000 domestic consumers in Sylhet and if all the waiting applicants are granted connection, hardly 5% more can be consumed by the new gas-users in Sylhet City and its adjoining areas where construction which has become un-employment solving sector has become almost jeopardized owing the absence of new gas connection to buildings. Sylhet Student and Mass Welfare Federation convener M. Abdur Rahman opined, the real estate business has slid down owing to non-connection of gas to new buildings which are constructed by investors- mainly those who are expatriates. Besides, tourism in Sylhet has not been developing as it needs to be. Again Gas Transmission line from Sylhet to Osmaninagar has been built with the cost of Tk 1.95 crore. In absence of gas supply thes project has become meaningless too. Besides, four gas distribution line establishing projects to be implemented in Sylhet and Moulvibazar has been suspended by Jalalabad Gas Company.
It is learnt that only those who paid up fees earlier before connection suspension order will get connection but connection will be given to factories and industrial sectors. Jamal Uddin Khan, a London-based Bangladeshi expatiate told this correspondent that gas has been being supplied on rationing basis and by turns. By keeping area-based and on shift basis distribution and supply, the present drilled gas can cover 2 lakh consumers in Sylhet Division. For this Jalalabad Gas should formulate concrete plan and establish shift basis gas supply system. Mr. Khan opined, the sooner the planning, the better the solution of gas connection problem.
Gas-connection, re-connection and connection extension remained suspended in Sylhet since November, 2015 when in a sudden move, Jalalabad Gas suspended all types of gas connection including domestic ones under the Jurisdiction of the company till date.
Earlier in another move, on 3rd January, 2013, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Affairs suspended new gas connection all over the country excepting Jalalabad Gas area in Sylhet division where Haripur, Chattak, Rashidpur (Habigonj), Bibiana (Nabigonj), Kailashtila (Golapgonj), Beanibazar and Sylhet (Lakkatura) gas fields are being operated and almost half of total gas has been being transmitted from all those afore-said gas fields to the national grid. Although new gas connections were suspended all over the country, but gas connections were continued sporadically till November, 2015 in Sylhet Division. In 2018, the then Finance Minister A.M.A. Muhith said that new gas connection would be given soon in Sylhet. But this has not been done yet.
There was a decision taken in May 2018 by concerned ministry in order to allot gas connection in a controlled manner in which the gas-connection applicants who submitted taka and had demand note subsequently would be allowed connection in which outstanding applicants cases would be considered on priority basis. But till date the government’s endeavour has not been executed to grant gas connections to the outstanding applicants numbering over 10,000 under Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution Company in Sylhet Division. These applicants paid up the due fees before the closure order and procured their demand notes in order to get new gas connection. Owing to the suspension of new gas connection and extension, the housing sector in Sylhet has been in jeopardy.
Owing to suspension of new gas connection, more than five thousand flat owners and multi-storeyed building owners have become losers as their flats have not been either transferred to the clients who again fail to attract hirers owning to the absence of gas connection.
At Chowkidekhi in Sylhet City, Salik Miah constructed a 5-storeyed luxurious building in 2016. He did not get gas connection for which he could not procure hirers even offering gas cylinders of his own. He even failed to get rent half of the required amount of hiring money. Got despaired expatiate Salik Miah went back to London a few days ago. For the last two decades, housing became profit-earning sector that could mitigate housing problem for service holders in particular. One Mr. A. Hussain of Sheikhgat area while talking to this correspondent said he has become loser after constructing a seven-storeyed building in which hirers are reluctant to take flats or units owing to cylinder gas connection. The owners of houses are offering cylinders to hirers in order to attract them.
As a result, the building owners who constructed their establishment from bank loans can not repay their bank loan and become defaulters and have been facing cases under Non-Negotiable Instrument (N.I) Act under Bangladesh Penal Code.
Besides, new Foreign Minister Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen in his election manifesto announced his programmes to solve various problems including suspension of gas connection is Sylhet City and its adjoining areas but no steps have been taken up by the Jalalabad Gas Company.
It has been learnt from Jalalabad Gas source that 2000 million cubic feet gas have been transmitted to national grid line while only 250 million cubic feet gas is supplied all over Sylhet Division which is only 7% of total gas drilled in the aforesaid gas fields in Sylhet Division. So new gas connection in Sylhet is logical and Jalalabad Gas is a profit-earning company as there is almost no system loss here. Besides, there are only 70,000 domestic consumers in Sylhet and if all the waiting applicants are granted connection, hardly 5% more can be consumed by the new gas-users in Sylhet City and its adjoining areas where construction which has become un-employment solving sector has become almost jeopardized owing the absence of new gas connection to buildings. Sylhet Student and Mass Welfare Federation convener M. Abdur Rahman opined, the real estate business has slid down owing to non-connection of gas to new buildings which are constructed by investors- mainly those who are expatriates. Besides, tourism in Sylhet has not been developing as it needs to be. Again Gas Transmission line from Sylhet to Osmaninagar has been built with the cost of Tk 1.95 crore. In absence of gas supply thes project has become meaningless too. Besides, four gas distribution line establishing projects to be implemented in Sylhet and Moulvibazar has been suspended by Jalalabad Gas Company.
It is learnt that only those who paid up fees earlier before connection suspension order will get connection but connection will be given to factories and industrial sectors. Jamal Uddin Khan, a London-based Bangladeshi expatiate told this correspondent that gas has been being supplied on rationing basis and by turns. By keeping area-based and on shift basis distribution and supply, the present drilled gas can cover 2 lakh consumers in Sylhet Division. For this Jalalabad Gas should formulate concrete plan and establish shift basis gas supply system. Mr. Khan opined, the sooner the planning, the better the solution of gas connection problem.
