Saidpur (Nilphamari) Correspondent :
In spite of Prime Minister’s commitment , there is no progress in implementation of gas transmission pipeline in Saidpur-Nilphamari area.
The government consultancy firm Investment Facilitation Company (IIFC) has completed a few rounds of feasibility study to set up the promised pipeline.
Although their report was handed over to Petrobangla Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL), there was no visible progress in the last 3 months.
Meanwhile, the industrial entrepreneurs of this region were enthusiastic in the checking the feasibility of the project, but after the completion of the feasibility study, the industry owners and entrepreneurs were frustrated because there was no progress to implement the project.
People in Saidpur-Nilphamari area are expecting that the project implementation agency does not take any effective steps to implement the GTCL project. Prime Minister’s promised project become uncertain. In 2011, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina committed to supply gas through pipeline in the region during her Rangpur visit.
According to the local entrepreneurs, Prime Minister pledged to set up the gas transmission line from Bogra to Rangpur via industrial zone Saidpur, Uttara EPZ and proposed Nilphamari Economic Zone. In order to implement this commitment, engineers of Petrobangla consultancy firm Investment Pharmaceuticals Company (IIFC) engineers visited the field of Saidpur-Nilphamari and Rangpur for 3rd time in last year, to test the feasibility. They handed over their recommendations to the GTCL authorities at the end of the three-point field visits but GTCL did not take any effective steps to implement the project in the last 3 months. As a result, the plight of the people of the region and the Prime Minister’s commitment implementation file has become closed.
According to sources, Bangladesh Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (Petrobangla) Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL) consultancy firm IIFC Engineer team technically began to verify the feasibility of the Prime Minister’s promised project. In the field visit, they are discussing with the traders of Saidpur-Nilphamari and Rangpur regions to find out how many industrial factories are there in this region, how many more new factories will be started and how will be the demand of gas in these factories, so that, the demand for gas in this region can be determined and fulfilled.
Moreover, if the pipeline is taken in any direction, it will be determined that the distance will be reduced by geographically and economically saved. At present, there are 50 companies of fuel-operated industries in Saidpur, 51 industries in Rangpur, 27 factories in Uttara EPZ. Three hundred acres of economic zones, under construction in Nilphamari has also been taken as the possible industrial belt.
IFC Deputy Director Shariful Islam said, the GTCL was engaged in the verification of the feasibility of setting up the GAS pipeline in Rangpur. Their engineers have submitted recommendations to the GTCL authorities almost three months before that in the next 20 years what will be the demand for gas here and in which direction the pipeline will be set up, so that the benefits will be realized. Now they will tender for the pipes to set up. But he could not tell properly when the tender will be invited.
According to the industrialists, industrial revolution will occur when gas will be used. We are not able to see the progress of the Prime Minister’s commitment in setting up a gas line in this region. They immediately attracted the attention of the Prime Minister to inaugurate the project of gas supply through pipeline. Raj Kumar Poddar, the renowned industrialist of Nilphamari region and owner of Saidpur Royalex Metal Industries, said this is the demand of the people of Saidpur-Nilphamari to get the gas supply through pipeline. New industrial plants are not being established here due to the lack of transmission line in the region. The industry is not being expanded due to higher production costs. The government has also decided to make special economic zones in Saidpur-Nilphamari region.
To reduce unemployment and to expand the industrial factory, we urge the Prime Minister to set up the promised gas transmission line as soon as possible for the industrial betterment of this area.
In spite of Prime Minister’s commitment , there is no progress in implementation of gas transmission pipeline in Saidpur-Nilphamari area.
The government consultancy firm Investment Facilitation Company (IIFC) has completed a few rounds of feasibility study to set up the promised pipeline.
Although their report was handed over to Petrobangla Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL), there was no visible progress in the last 3 months.
Meanwhile, the industrial entrepreneurs of this region were enthusiastic in the checking the feasibility of the project, but after the completion of the feasibility study, the industry owners and entrepreneurs were frustrated because there was no progress to implement the project.
People in Saidpur-Nilphamari area are expecting that the project implementation agency does not take any effective steps to implement the GTCL project. Prime Minister’s promised project become uncertain. In 2011, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina committed to supply gas through pipeline in the region during her Rangpur visit.
According to the local entrepreneurs, Prime Minister pledged to set up the gas transmission line from Bogra to Rangpur via industrial zone Saidpur, Uttara EPZ and proposed Nilphamari Economic Zone. In order to implement this commitment, engineers of Petrobangla consultancy firm Investment Pharmaceuticals Company (IIFC) engineers visited the field of Saidpur-Nilphamari and Rangpur for 3rd time in last year, to test the feasibility. They handed over their recommendations to the GTCL authorities at the end of the three-point field visits but GTCL did not take any effective steps to implement the project in the last 3 months. As a result, the plight of the people of the region and the Prime Minister’s commitment implementation file has become closed.
According to sources, Bangladesh Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (Petrobangla) Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL) consultancy firm IIFC Engineer team technically began to verify the feasibility of the Prime Minister’s promised project. In the field visit, they are discussing with the traders of Saidpur-Nilphamari and Rangpur regions to find out how many industrial factories are there in this region, how many more new factories will be started and how will be the demand of gas in these factories, so that, the demand for gas in this region can be determined and fulfilled.
Moreover, if the pipeline is taken in any direction, it will be determined that the distance will be reduced by geographically and economically saved. At present, there are 50 companies of fuel-operated industries in Saidpur, 51 industries in Rangpur, 27 factories in Uttara EPZ. Three hundred acres of economic zones, under construction in Nilphamari has also been taken as the possible industrial belt.
IFC Deputy Director Shariful Islam said, the GTCL was engaged in the verification of the feasibility of setting up the GAS pipeline in Rangpur. Their engineers have submitted recommendations to the GTCL authorities almost three months before that in the next 20 years what will be the demand for gas here and in which direction the pipeline will be set up, so that the benefits will be realized. Now they will tender for the pipes to set up. But he could not tell properly when the tender will be invited.
According to the industrialists, industrial revolution will occur when gas will be used. We are not able to see the progress of the Prime Minister’s commitment in setting up a gas line in this region. They immediately attracted the attention of the Prime Minister to inaugurate the project of gas supply through pipeline. Raj Kumar Poddar, the renowned industrialist of Nilphamari region and owner of Saidpur Royalex Metal Industries, said this is the demand of the people of Saidpur-Nilphamari to get the gas supply through pipeline. New industrial plants are not being established here due to the lack of transmission line in the region. The industry is not being expanded due to higher production costs. The government has also decided to make special economic zones in Saidpur-Nilphamari region.
To reduce unemployment and to expand the industrial factory, we urge the Prime Minister to set up the promised gas transmission line as soon as possible for the industrial betterment of this area.
