Gas crisis behind rising load shedding: Commerce Minister

Commerce, Industry and Textile & Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has said that the increase in load shedding is mainly due to the ongoing gas shortage.

He said, only 17 million cubic feet of gas is produced in the country. 9 million cubic feet of gas has to be imported from outside.

But despite the financial resources, due to some problems, it is not possible to import gas as per the demand. As a result, load shedding has increased.

The minister said these things in response to questions from journalists while visiting the Basia Canal in Masukganj Bazar of Sylhet Sadar Upazila on Friday afternoon (April 24).

He said, we have inherited many mismanagement and anarchy, including load shedding.

Although the government is only two months, the government still has to deal with it. The government is working to solve these problems. The Energy Ministry is also going to tender for the construction of a new terminal to increase LNG import capacity.

Regarding the increase in fuel oil prices, the minister said, even if the price of fuel oil increases, it will not have much impact on inflation. The price of diesel in the country has increased by only 15 percent. Whereas the price of fuel oil in neighboring countries is higher than Bangladesh. However, we have increased it cautiously by 15 percent. So that there is no much impact on the people.

Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said that the government will build storage on a priority basis to overcome the situation where the country becomes hostage to the energy sector in various global situations.

During the visit, several officials and MPs including Sylhet-2 MP MA Malik, Sylhet-6 MP Emran Ahmed Chowdhury, Sylhet City Corporation Administrator Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury, and Sylhet District Commissioner Md. Sarwar Alam were present.