The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Chittagong

Around Taka 396 crore were transacted as bribe by an unscrupulous syndicate for giving new connections of gas from the Bakharabad Gas System Limited (BGSL) over the last 27 years.

In 2006-2007, the syndicate allegedly composed of employees of BGSL and its enlisted contractors as well as those of LGED, Roads and Highways, and the Department of Environments consumed Taka 25.28 crore as bribe by giving new gas connection to the clients. A survey conducted by the Chittagong Metropolitan Chapter of Sachetan Nagorik Committee-SNC (Conscious Citizens Committee), a TIB affiliated anti-crime watchdog, revealed these irregularities in its report placed at a roundtable here today.

The survey, which began in December, 2006 and ended in August this year, pinpointed the causes of corruption in the process of distributing and marketing natural gas in Chittagong region by the BGSL and also evaluated the company's overall performance in providing service to the subscribers. The roundtable held at a local hotel was presided over by SNC convener Begum Mustari Shafi. Researcher and TIB Programme Officer Mohammad Golam Mostafa presented the survey report. TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman was the moderator. Economist Professor Anu Mohammad, Energy expert Professor Shamsul Alam of CUET, Managing Director of BGSL Kamrul Islam and Director of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mahfuzul Haq Shah, among others, took part in the discussion on the survey report.

The report said that apart from new gas connections, serious irregularities have long been in force at the BGSL's operational levels like meter reading, raising of gas pressure, by-passing of meter, recruitment and transfer of employees, purchase and sales. Discriminatory gas supply agreement with multinational company-KAFCO, system loss and excessive government control over the BGSL are some of the main causes of its perennial financial losses, the report observed.

The BGSL incurs a loss of Taka 229 crore every year for supplying gas to the KAFCO at a subsidised rate, it said and strongly suggested several effective steps to ensure transparency and accountability of its operational activities. The survey suggested introduction of pre-paid metering system for domestic consumers, automated internal operation, stopping rampant activities of trade unions, strict monitoring to check illegal connection, setting up "utility court" to punish the persons responsible for pilferage and illegal connection. Professor Anu Mohammad felt it necessary for establishing "national ownership" over the country's energy resources to ensure security and rapid industrialisation. "One of the major reasons of the present gas crises is that the gas sector has gone into the grip of multinational companies", he said describing the current problem in the gas sector as artificial created by a vested quarter.