Order to disconnect gas and electricity of unauthorized buildings

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has ordered the disconnection of gas and electricity connections of unauthorized buildings. He gave the order at a briefing in Chittagong on Wednesday. On the same day, he inaugurated the data center of the prepaid meter project of Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company.

The State Minister for Power said, "We must be aware so that accidents like Bailey Road do not happen again. Gas connections cannot be provided without the approval of the appropriate authority. Even if a connection is provided earlier, if it is used for illegal purposes, the connection will be disconnected. If commercial activities are carried out with the permission of a resident, if the fire extinguishing system is not proper, or if the design is violated, the gas and electricity connections of that building will be disconnected." Instructing the concerned in this regard, he said that gas connections will not be provided anywhere except in approved industrial areas.

Stating that all customers in Chittagong will be covered by prepaid meters within three years, the State Minister said, 'The meters that are being installed are from Japan. This program is being carried out with the assistance of JICA.' In response to a question, he said, 'The gas companies have more arrears in power plants and fertilizer factories. Several thousand crore taka have accumulated in these two sectors. If you want uninterrupted gas, you will have to pay the arrears. If the fertilizer factories do not pay the arrears, they will not be given gas.' Petrobangla Chairman Janendra Nath Sarkar was present at the time.

The State Minister for Power earlier visited the construction site of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation's own building in Chittagong and the facilities of Padma, Meghna and Jamuna Oil Companies. He said, 'Uninterrupted oil transportation is being arranged throughout the country. Fuel oil unloading, storage and transportation will come under automation.' He said that oil pricing and management will be paperless and humanless. Experimental oil transportation is underway in the Single Mooring (SPM) line project. This will save about a thousand crore taka annually. Oil will be transported to Patenga depot through a pipeline from the deep-sea mother vessel in Maheshkhali.

The State Minister for Power said, "The depots are being automated. A pipeline is being built from Patenga to Godnail in Narayanganj. The tankers will also be modernized." He said, "There is going to be a big change in the price of fuel oil in the country today, Thursday. From now on, the price will be fixed in the first week of the month. If we can introduce automated management and operation, we will save money there too." BPC Chairman ABM Azad, along with the managing directors and senior officials of the companies, were present at the time.