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Dhaka Thursday,  Mar 28, 2024

Businessmen want Gas, No Matter What Price

EB Report

Industrialists and businessmen want gas, no matter how costly it is. To keep up the country’s current pace of the economic growth, industry needs more gas whether it comes in the means of bottled, liquefied or pipe lined.

Businessmen, once again expressed their cravings for gas on today in a view exchange program that was held at the Petrocentre of the city. The program was organized prior to formulating an action plan on the issues of gas supply to the industries as a priority basis while the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) will be imported.

Energy Secretary Nazimuddin Chowdhury presided over the entire view exchange program. Among others  Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, BB, the adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Nasrul Hamid, the state minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Monwar Islam, the chairman of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), Shuvashish Basu, the commerce secretary, Shah Mohammad Aminul Haque, the chairman of CCIC, Khaled Mahmud, the chairman of PDB, Abul Monsur Mohammad Fayjullah, the chairman of Petrobangla, Mohammad Hossain, the chairman of Powercell, Latif Khan, the chairman of BIPPA, Mohammad Hatem, the ex BKMEA vice chairman, Tapan Chaudhury, the chairman of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association, Farhan Noor, general secretary of CNG gas association addressed at the program.

Nasrul Hamid said that, a long term and precise action plan need to be composed for the upcoming LNG mixed situation. A sustainable price adjusting system will help the businessmen to plan for the future, he added. He also said that, the Petrobangla should charge the right bill to the businessmen in accordance to the pressure of the gas that they’ve got from the distributor. He also urged Petrobangla to solve all these industry related gas supply issues and make a long term planning on determining the gas price.

The state minister further stated that, the government won’t make business with the businessmen through LNG or gas rather the government will try to assure that, the businessmen are getting gas at a fare price.

Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said that, the gas price may rise for the time being but the businessmen will surely make profit at the end of the day. Initiatives can be taken to make the small power plants capable of co-generation or tri-generation and everyone may be benefited if the unutilized heat that is generated at the power plants is managed to be utilized in some other innovative ways, he added.

The program related sources claimed that, Excelerate Energy will import 500 mcf LNG on April, 2018, Summit will import 500 mcf on October of the same year, Relience will also import 500 mcf on June, 2019, Hongkong Sanghai Manjala will import 500 mcf of more LNG on June 2020. Besides, 2 miniature Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) are likely to be built by using the jetties of Kafco and CUFL. Sources claimed that, out of 13 total 10 companies submitted their primary proposals in order to distribute LNG after they were requested.

The government signed MoU with Petronet of India, HOC of China, Sembcorp of Singapore to build 5 land based LNG terminals at different places of Payra and Maheshkhali.

The government have also signed MoUs with Rasgas of Qatar, Oman Trading International of Oman, Pertamina of Indonesia, Astra Oils of Switzerland to import LNG from them. Another similar MoU is expected to be signed with Gunvor of Singapore on Tuesday.

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