New gas connections to industries by April

The government will resume giving gas connections to industrial units in a month or two, said prime minister's energy adviser Towfiq-e-Elahi yesterday.
New gas connections had been stopped since June 2009 due to inadequate supply from wells. As a result, running industries have been experiencing gas shortages while many new units are still waiting to start operation.
“We are now able to collect 50MMcf (million cubic feet) of gas from small gas fields across the country which paved the way for increased gas supply and new industrial connections from March or April,” said Chowdhury.
He was speaking as the guest of honour at the regular roundtable on the state of economy organised by Board of Investment at its office in the capital.
Chowdhury said state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Ltd (Bapex) would start drilling in three new gas fields -- Srikail, Kapasia and Sunetra -- from next month to enhance gas supply in the national grid.
He said the government is also devising a policy to supply electricity uninterruptedly to industrial units through separate lines.
The government has also removed all restrictions to new power connections and customers can now submit applications for connections online, added Chowdhury.