State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid on Wednesday said government wants to shift households to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) gradually. Before attending at a programme in Dhaka University area, Nasrul said problems were encountered in supplying gas due to low pressure. “Our priority now is to ensure supply at industrial zones.” The government is working out a plan to meet 70 per cent of the domestic demand with LPG within the next three years, added Hamid.
Asked whether an ‘artificial crisis’ was created to force domestic users to go for LPG, the minister replied: “Apart from one or two cities, LPG is used everywhere. How are they managing?” Gas supplies to households usually hit a snag during the winter. But this year, the crisis turned acute and affected even filling stations for CNG-run vehicles.
The minister said that the problems at households would be solved within two or three days. “The problem in Bakhrabad gas pipeline is being fixed.” He, however, said that such problems would not arise in future if the use of LPG was increased. “The price (of LPG) has come down drastically and the government is working to cut it further.”