Ministry for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources intends to raise gas price. At the same time the ministry aims to replace all the existing meters with the prepaid ones. A proposal to increase gas price has been presented to Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC).
Nasrul Hamid Bipu, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources said these things while speaking to journalists on Sunday at the Secretariat.
Nasrul Hamid Bipu said, "We discourage people to use gas in households. We are going to take up a big project to replace all the old gas lines with new ones and to install prepaid meters at all concerned places. We have asked for help from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JAICA)."
It may be added that the government wanted to raise gas price last year but it was not executed keeping in view the eleventh parliamentary election. Different political parties and civil society members have urged the government not to increase gas price.
Nasrul Hamid Bipu further said that the ministry has requested Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) to coordinate gas price.He informed that the government paid around six thousand crore taka subsidies on gas price last year. The country's energy sector may face problems if gas price is not increased, he stated.