Near-normal gas supply to factories from today: PM

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday sought support from business leaders and the media for implementing the government’s plans to address the country’s power and energy challenges, urging all stakeholders to allow the government to carry out its programmes without creating instability during its tenure.

He also expressed hope that gas supplies to industries would return to near-normal levels from Tuesday evening.

The Prime Minister made the remarks at a three-hour views-exchange meeting with business leaders and media representatives at his office at the Bangladesh Secretariat.

Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu briefed journalists on the meeting.

“The people will decide at the appropriate time whom they want to entrust with running the government. But whichever government is in office at a given time should be allowed to complete its planned work,” Tarique Rahman said.

Describing the current crisis in the power and energy sector as a problem inherited by the government, he said it would not be possible to solve the situation fully within six months or a year.
“But we have identified the problems, prepared plans and are now at the stage of implementing those plans,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the government was working according to specific timelines to restore normalcy in power and energy supplies. “If we can implement these plans, not only business and trade but the overall economy will benefit,” he said.

“We hope, Insha-Allah, from Tuesday evening the gas supply will return to something like the level it was at one to one and a half months ago,” he added.

State Minister for Power and Energy Aninda Islam Amit made a presentation titled “Challenges and Future Roadmap of Bangladesh’s Power and Energy Sector” at the meeting.

Explaining the current gas crisis, Tarique Rahman said gas supplies had been disrupted following an accident at one of the country’s two floating LNG terminals, affecting industries and other sectors.
He said the problem caused by the accident had already been resolved.

The government is also taking steps to install a third floating LNG terminal to address the supply shortfall, he said.

Preparations for installing another terminal on a government-to-government basis had largely been completed over the past month and work on it would begin soon, the Prime Minister said.

The government expects to connect the third terminal to the national gas supply system by December 2027, he added.
Tarique Rahman said the problems in the power sector were also longstanding.