The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Chittagong

A high-powered committee Monday renewed its position to resolve grinding crisis of gas and power in Chittagong region.

The National Committee, which draws representatives from the government and the private sector, placed a six-point charter of recommendations to free the economically important region of pervasive energy shortages.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed formed the 15-member committee on July 3 to specially focus on the energy sector, as the government is struggling to feed the energy-hungry factories amid growing demand.

At a meeting on Monday at Chittagong circuit house, the committee set a maximum timeframe of nine months to implement the recommendations.

The meeting, chaired by Commerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman, decided that the recommendations would be sent to the Council of Advisers for its approval within a week.

Another meeting will be held in Dhaka to finalise the recommendations before that, the meeting decided.

The committee in its recommendations said that authorities would conduct a study to see if setting up of rental power stations in the region is feasible.

The other major points that came in the meeting are establishing Karnahuli Gas Company Ltd through separation of chittagong region from Bakhrabd Gas Ltd, supplying gas to newly established 68 industries and factories within six to nine months and taking effective measures to set up private merchant power plants.

The committee will also see if the daily production of Kaptai power plant could be increased by 50mw.

Special assistant to the chief adviser on energy M Tamim, CA's special assailant on Gas MA Malek, Petrobangla Chairman Jalal Ahmed, FBCCI director Sayed Amirul Haq and Better Business Forum Member Mahmudul Haq also attended the meeting.