Gas supply must prioritise industry Energy Adviser
Staff Reporter :
Energy Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan on Friday ruled out any possibility of approving new residential gas connections, citing the need to prioritise supply for industries and reduce wastage.”There is no prospect of extending household gas connections.
If it were up to me, I would shut down all existing residential gas lines in Dhaka,” Khan told reporters during a visit to the Kailashtila-7 and Sylhet-10 gas wells in Golapganj Upazila, Sylhet.
He emphasised that a substantial volume of gas is being wasted through residential pipeline distribution.
“While industries and factories are facing shortages, continuing gas supply to households is unjustifiable. To curb this wastage, we should phase out residential pipeline connections,” he said, reiterating his personal view that existing connections in Dhaka should be disconnected.
Addressing long-standing demands from Sylhet residents for household gas connections, the adviser clarified that the government plans to provide Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders instead of expanding the pipeline network. These cylinders would be supplied at subsidised rates to make them more affordable.
Khan also highlighted the broader challenges facing the energy sector, noting that domestic gas production is declining by around 200 million cubic feet per day annually. This decline is pushing the country to increase its reliance on imported Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
However, he added, efforts are underway to enhance local exploration and production to reduce dependency on imports.
During his visit, the adviser was joined by Energy Division Additional Secretary M Khalid Ahmed, Petrobangla Chairman Rehsanul Islam, BAPEX Managing Director M Soheb Ahmed, Additional Secretary Monir Hossain, and senior officials from the Kailashtila Gas Field and Plant.
The Kailashtila-7 and Sylhet-10 wells are currently contributing around 16 million cubic feet of gas per day to the national grid.
The adviser also inspected various installations at the Kailashtila field, including the BAPEX rig Bijoy-12, the prepared rig pad for upcoming workover operations at the Kailashtila-1 well, and the metering and separation terminal plant.