Chief adviser’s special assistant for power and energy ministry M Tamim on Saturday said no more gas-based power plant would be set up in the country as there was a shortage of the fossil fuel. He said this while addressing a seminar on Bangladesh’s main challenges to meet future electricity demand, organised by Energy and Power magazine at CIRDAP auditorium.
Referring to the country’s chronic gas crisis that hampers the electricity generation, Tamim said a team was now visiting the gas-fired power plants to identify their efficiency level. Terming the present gas crisis as a legacy of the past, Tamim, a former professor of Petroleum Engineering at BUET, said only one gas field was discovered in the country in the last 10 years. ‘So the present government has to think about gas import.’
He said the use of electricity was increasing day by day because of its low price. Describing the government’s steps to boost gas production, Tamim said state-owned BAPEX was recently allocated the highest fund to expedite its operation. ‘Even we’ve accepted the price that BAPEX offered for its new gas field.’ Calling upon the political parties to reach a consensus on the energy issue he said, ‘We should go for multiple approaches in resolving the country’s power and energy crises.’
’We’re going to hand over power to an elected political government. So, they should use experts to deal with the matters,’ he added. He said the existing coal and gas reserves were enough to ensure the country’s energy security for the next 10 years. ‘So it’s now imperative to take the right decision.’ Taking a swipe at critics, the special assistant said they should come up with their alternative solution to the crisis instead of indulging in criticism.
The seminar was addressed, among others, by Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission chairman Ghulam Rahman, former PDB chairman Quamrul Islam Siddique, Planning Commission member AMM Nasir Uddin, Power Cell director general Abdul Jalil and Petrobangla director Mokbul-e-Elahi.
New Age
Date: 20 July 2008, Bangladesh
Link : http://www.newagebd.com/2008/jul/20/front.html#14
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