The New Nation - Internet Edition

GAS shortage with no immediate solution in sight poses a serious threat to the country's industrial development. Bangladesh is at a critical juncture of economic development when there is a grave need for investment and industrialisation that the government has been trying to attract. But unless necessary infrastructure is developed investment proposals would come but never materialise. As is reported in the media, concerned authorities have advised some domestic conglomerates to wait for another three years before investment in gas-based industries. Some top business organisations recently unveiled big investment plans with the probable production capacity of two million tons of hot rolled (HR) steel sheet and 8 lakh tons of high-grade mild steel rod. These plants would meet the country's entire demand for HR sheets. But the state-owned Bakhrabad Gas Distribution and Transmission Limited stopped committing gas supply for any new plant in the Chittagong region, which already suffers from a shortfall of 65 million cubic feet of gas per day against the daily demand of 305 mcft.

But how such a situation could develop affecting the industrialisation process? The existing recoverable gas reserve is estimated to exhaust by 2011. It was expected that successive authorities would initiate exploration activities in time. They failed to do so before the problem turned into a crisis. Just about eight years ago some quarters were found much enthusiastic about exporting gas. How do they explain their position now when generation of power is threatened by shortage of gas, let alone installation of new gas-fuelled industries? This shows their utter ignorance and shallow knowledge about the gas situation. Misuse and pilferage of this vital natural resource is another story. It is high time to accelerate gas exploration and development activities to overcome the crisis.