|
MOULVIBAZAR, Apr 5: Prime Minister Khaleda Zia inaugurated here today gas mining from yet another field.
She termed the event a milestone for the country's onward march onto the higher stages of development in order to fulfil people's long-cherished desire, report agencies.
She regretted that the country could not achieve the desired development in 34 years of its independence.
The Prime Minister called upon the people to stand united in the struggle for economic emancipation as they did during the struggle for achieving independence in 1971.
With the start of gas flow from the Moulvibazar gas field, the gas supply through the national grid will increase to about 1,500 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd).
The new gas field, developed by Unocal Bangladesh in 18 months time, would produce 70 mmcfd initially.
With the beginning of production in the Moulvibazar field, country's total gas production reached 1,470 mmcfd. This quantum of aggregate supplies exceeds the total domestic demand for about 1,450 mmcfd.
The US-based international oil company, Unocal, has developed the field under a Gas Purchase and Sales Agreement (GPSA) that was signed with Petrobangla -- the state-owned hydrocarbon operational agency.
Some 50 per cent of the gas produced in the country is used for power generation. The rest of the quantity goes for manufacturing fertiliser, fuelling various modes of transportation, and commercial and domestic uses.
Speaking at the inaugural function, the Prime Minister (PM) said: "The country's valuable gas resources are playing an important role in its industrial and economical development."
The government, she added, is working relentlessly to move the country forward to a higher plane of economic growth.
The PM stressed the need for people's determination and also for maintaining socio-political stability in order to achieve the desired level of development.
She mentioned that 3,000km gas pipelines were put into operation in the country during the last three years. Besides, about 3,00,000 connections were given to the consumers during the same period.
The present government has taken up plans to help expand the gas network also to Rajshahi and Khulna cities, the PM told her audience.
Khaleda Zia noted with satisfaction that effective measures that had been taken in recent years helped to bring down system loss in gas-supplies from 7.4 per cent in 2001 to 4.0 per cent now.
Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources AKM Mosharraf Hossain, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Unocal, USA, John W Creiston, President and Managing Director of Unocal Bangladesh Andrew L Fawthrop, Secretary of Energy Division AKM Zafar Ullah Khan and Chairman Petrobangla SR Osmani also addressed the function.
It was attended by diplomats and local political leaders.
The Prime Minister unveiled the plaque and switched the button, inaugurating the gas flow from the well into the gas grid.
Addressing the gathering at the inaugural function, Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman said the government has allocated Tk 10.20 billion (1020 crore), including Tk 7.12 billion (712 crore) from domestic resources, for development of gas sector. There are a total of 20 development projects now under implementation in the gas sector, he added.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister presented the details of extension programmes for gas facilities in the past three years.
She said: "Gas supply extension programmes were implemented in Bogra, Sylhet, Mymensingh and Tangail including Dhaka city during the last three years."
She underlined the need for stepping up efforts to check misuse of gas as ''this natural resource is not unlimited or renewable."
|