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The government formed a five-member working committee to prepare an action plan for rationing gas
distribution to the industrial sector in a bid to cope with the prevailing supply shortage.
The committee, headed by Power Division Secretary, has been asked to submit the plan to the government
by Sunday Morning, official sources said.
The committee was formed at a high-profile secretary-level meeting held at the Prime Minister's Office
(PMO) with Kamal Uddin Siddique, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, in the chair.
Secretaries of Energy and Power Divisions under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, the
Industries Ministry, and Jute and Textile Ministry were present at the meeting.
The proposed action plant is expected to be placed before Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia the same day
for approval, according to a meeting source.
If the proposal gets the PM's consent, the proposed rationing of gas distribution would come into effect
from Monday next, the source hinted.
He also indicated that Tongi Power Plant and Zia Fertiliser Factory would initially come under the
government's gas rationing programme.
Besides, the government would be able to save at least 35 million cubic feet (mmcfd) of gas per day through
the rationing of gas supply, sources mentioned.
The secretary-level meeting also discussed the overall situation with regard to the supply and demand for
gas in the country, the sources said.
Earlier, the Adviser to the Energy Division Mahmudur Rahman announced Wednesday the governmnet's
plan for rationing gas distribution in line with an ever-increasing demand for the fuel in the country,
especially in the industrial sector.
While announcing the plan, Rahman informed newsmen that the country's tremendous industrial growth
over the last several years put pressure on the supply of gas to the industrial 'growth zone', especially in
Savar, Tongi and Gazipur areas.
He also acknowledged receiving complaints from several entrepreneurs over low gas pressure in their
factories in the 'growth zone.'
The adviser further indicated that bulk consumers, especially the fertiliser factories and power plants, would
come under the gas rationing programme.
Defending the rationing initiative, he said the country posted a 22.5 per cent growth in industrial sector on
an average in the past four years, whereas the growth of gas production was only 12 per cent during the
period.
"But the energy ministry has failed to keep pace with this robust growth as it predicted only six to eight per
cent growth in annual gas demand," he said.
He said the country produced the highest ever 1512 mmcfd Tuesday against a demand for over 1600
mmcfd.
The country's gas production capacity was only around 1050 mmcfd when the four-party government took
power four yeas ago, he said.
The production will continue to rise and at the same time the demand will also be increasing to feed the
industrial sector, he added.
The adviser said the country is likely to experience a shortage of at least 100 mmcfd gas until early 2007.
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