Staff Reporter :
The State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid on Sunday said that more use of the LPG in the residential quarters will help increase gas supply in the industrial sector.
The government has a plan to replace the CNG with Auto-Gas for motor vehicles as well. Even LPG could be used in small and medium industries, he said.
The Minister has hinted of replacement of household gas by 70 percent by LPG in next to years. He said it to media at the 4th Asia LPG summit 2017 held in the International Convention City, Bashundhara, in Dhaka.
“Our original plan was three years. One year has already elapsed. Hopefully, we shall be able to achieve our goal,”
He also said a pricing mechanism will be introduced in consultation with private market operators for LPG within the next two months to control the prices.
World LPG Association organised the two-day summit where a new organisation ‘LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh’ (LOAB) was floated with Prime Minister’s private sector affairs Adviser Salman F Rahman as its president.
Energy Secretary Nazimuddin Chowdhury also spoke at the function. About 100 companies from 20 countries are participating in the summit.
Nasrul said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed about four years ago to find an alternative to natural gas used at household level. “Following his instruction, we have chosen LPG and we are working on it,” he said.
He said, the Energy Division has already formulated a policy regarding investment in the LPG sector. “Now we are working to determine how and who will regulate the LPGF market and how could be the safety ensured.”
Admitting the sale of LPG at inflated rates in different areas, Nasrul said, this happens due to transportation cost. “We are studying how the LPG price could be linked with the international market.”
Noting that safety is still a major issue in LPG use, he said, the department concerned is still very weak.
Addressing the inaugural function, he alleged that the BNP-Jamaat government during its rule had launched a misleading campaign that the country had enough natural gas. “But, that was a totally wrong calculation.”
He said if the natural gas is diverted to industries from household and motor vehicles, it would give more benefits to the economy.
Urging the private investors to go for more investment in LPG sector, he said, the economy is growing fast and there will be a huge LPG market in Bangladesh.
