Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - The government has started providing new gas connections to industries aiming to facilitate the country’s overall productivity, officials said.
"We’ve started new gas connections to industries as the country's overall gas output ramped up with the start of operation of a new gas compressor at Muchai recently," a senior official of the state-run Petrobangla said.
Bangladesh has resumed gas connection after a halt for three years since June 2009 due to its scarcity.
With operation of Muchai compression station in Habiganj the country's overall gas output increased by 3.0 percent to 2,100 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd).
The official also said the industries that have applied earlier and made all necessary payments are getting priority in new gas connections.
Piped gas connections to households, however, still remained halted, he added. New gas connections to households remained suspended since July 2010.
The country’s apex trade body chief welcomed the government decision of initiating new gas connections to industries, sating that it’s a very positive decision on expiation of industries.
The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President AK Azad has sought discussion with the government to fix up priority sector for new gas connections.
Hundreds of industries were shut and many more reduced manufacturing due to short supply of natural gas.
Gas rationing in industries is, however, still rampant and compressed natural gas (CNG) filling stations keeps shut for six hours every day to cope with the shortage of natural gas.
BBN/SSR/AD-13May12-12:50 am (BST)
