Government will not promote any particular person or group in energy sector
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Photo: Collected
Government shall not promote any particular person or group. Muhammad Fawzul Kabir Khan, Adviser for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources commented that the competition will be open for everyone from now on.
He made this comment during a meeting with the delegation of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the secretariat on Wednesday (September 4).
For quite some time now, the delegation has not been getting uninterrupted supply of electricity and gas to their factories, thereby disrupting their production. They demanded uninterrupted gas supply.
The Adviser said that it is being disrupted due to insufficient supply of gas compared to demand. Summit's FSRU has been closed for the past three months, causing disruption in gas supply. Trying to launch it from next 15th. Not only in the business sector, gas supply is also disrupted in other sectors, especially in fertilizer and power generation. The 800 MW power plant at Rupsa cannot be commissioned for gas.
Fawzul Kabir Khan said that he has taken many steps after assuming office, the Special Provisions Act of 2010 has been suspended. Instructions have been given to ensure that jobs are procured through competition in all cases. The Electricity and Gas Price Fixing Act has been repealed by the Executive Order.
In response to the request of the delegation whether the price of electricity and fuel can be reduced further, the Adviser said that the price of fuel oil has already been reduced, but the price of electricity and fuel cannot be reduced in that way for the ongoing contracts. Steps are being taken to see if a land-based LNG terminal can be established, and whether an LNG terminal can be set up in Khulna will also be examined.
It was proposed on behalf of the delegation to consider rationing the supply of gas to CNG stations and residential sector to supply it to the industrial sector and to consider setting up solar plants on government land at Howr in Swarnadwip and Kishoreganj. In response to such a proposal, the Adviser said, these two sectors also need gas, but their demands will be considered logically. The delegation also needs to consider whether LNG imports can easily run factories through it.
Additional Secretary of the Power Division in the discussion meeting. Senior officials of the ministry including Syed Masum Ahmed Chowdhury were present.
