Energy and power minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmood Tuku has said that the government would resume gas supply to fertiliser factories from May 1, prioritising agricultural production despite possible disruptions to electricity generation.
Speaking in Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday, the minister said the decision had been taken in consideration of the country’s farming needs.
‘Although electricity generation may be affected, we have decided to supply gas to fertiliser factories from the first of May, keeping agriculture in mind,’ he said.
The remarks came during a discussion on a private member’s resolution raised by independent lawmaker Rumeen Farhana, who proposed new household gas connections in the Brahmanbaria-2 constituency.
The minister said that Bangladesh had been experiencing a gas shortage since 2016, resulting in reduced pressure in both residential and industrial connections.
‘Due to declining pressure, supply has dropped in areas where gas lines already exist. At present, we are allocating as much gas as possible to industries in order to sustain production,’ Tuku said.
He said that the government has recently strengthened the Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (BAPEX) and initiated new exploration efforts.
‘If these efforts succeed, we hope to improve pressure and expand supply to existing connections,’ the minister said.
Tuku also criticised previous governments for failing to invest in gas exploration, claiming that the sector had been made overly dependent on imports, with significant unpaid liabilities left behind.
He said that the current administration was focusing on extracting gas from domestic fields, including abandoned wells with remaining reserves, to meet internal demand.
Taking part in the discussion, Rumeen Farhana highlighted the difficulties faced by residents in Brahmanbaria, despite the district being a major source of the country’s gas.
She said many households receive little or no gas for extended periods, forcing reliance on LPG cylinders and electric cookers.
Although the official price of an LPG cylinder is set at Tk 1,940, Rumeen said that consumers rarely find it below Tk 2,200 in the market.
She also pointed to illegal connections and weak oversight as contributing factors to supply disruptions, adding that legitimate users were often deprived of adequate service.
The lawmaker also mentioned that drilling has recently begun on a new deep exploration well in the Titas gas field.
The project is expected to add around 15 million cubic feet of gas per day to the national grid and will take approximately seven months to complete.
She urged the minister to ensure gas supply to the Ashuganj fertiliser plant, which has remained closed due to shortages, saying it would help address local concerns.
In response, the minister reiterated the government’s position, confirming that gas supply to the fertiliser plant would begin on May 1 despite the potential impact on electricity generation.
The discussion concluded with the withdrawal of the resolution.
