Md Harun Ur Rashid, chairman of the Asia Group of Industries yesterday said the reluctance of Titas Gas Ltd has jeopardised investment worth Tk 5,000 crore of entrepreneurs in Narayanganj and Munshiganj industrial areas, pushing about 5 lakh workers towards layoff due to acute shortage of gas supply.
Addressing the media at the Jatiya Press Club, Rashid alleged that illegal gas connections had been given to about 32 industrial units from the transmission line of Godnile-Pathantoli to Post Office Road of Shiddhirganj, depriving their industries.
Moreover, the 120-megawatt Peking power plant at Shiddhirganj has also reduced adequate pressure of gas in the pipeline, he added.
The gas crisis for 15 to 16 hours every day has hampered production at the units in Narayanganj and Munshiganj, thereby affecting export activities severely. He said the crisis has reduced the rate of production by 70 per cent. Under these circumstances, the entrepreneurs are facing severe liquidity crisis and failing to pay salaries to the workers in time, Rashid said.
Rashid also said the unit owners approached the chairman of Petrobangla and state minister for power, energy and mineral resources Muhammad Enamul Huq seeking a solution of the crisis but Titas Gas did not pay heed to that.
Drawing the attention of the Prime Minister, Rashid urged her to take immediate action to provide uninterrupted gas supply to these areas to save 30 per cent income from these sectors.
He also proposed to run the Peking power plant by furnace oil in order to save gas which can be used for the industries. He suggested the government can supply them with furnace oil by LC price without VAT and tax in order to save these industrial units.
theindependent
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