Despite repeated instructions of the Energy Division, the Titas Gas Transmission & Distribution Company Limited (TGTDCL) has failed to disconnect illegal gas connections, with at least 102 kms of illegal lines still remaining.
TGTDCL says it is difficult to get rid of illegal connections completely. The top official of the company could not specify when it would be possible.
However, experts said that illegal gas connections cannot be stopped due to political clout, indulgence and interests of some dishonest Titas officials.
Prior to the import of high-priced LNG from August 18, 2018, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division had instructed all distribution companies to declare themselves free from illegal connections. However, the distribution companies could not remove all the identified lines.
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Sources said that the energy division had formed a committee to disconnect illegal gas connections across the country. The committee was ordered several times to disconnect all illegal gas connections by December 31 last year. But it is not implemented till now.
Out of six state-owned gas distribution companies, two companies have not yet been able to disconnect illegal gas. Most of the illegal gas lines are in the TGTDCL area, according to an official report.
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TGTDCL is selling around 58 per cent of gas. The company is responsible for selling gas in 12 districts including Dhaka.
There are 101.2 kilometers of illegal lines with 29,296 connections in TGTDC, while Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Limited has 1.2 kilometers of the illegal gas lines with 45 connections in its distribution areas.
When contacted, Md. Haronur Rashid Mullah, Managing Director of TGTDCL told Bangladesh Post, "Illegal gas disconnection operations are underway. Stopping illegal gas connections is not an easy task. The day after we disconnect illegal connections, they are being restored. So it is a matter of time. We are trying. However, it is not possible to say when it will be possible to completely disconnect all illegal gas connections.”
An Energy Division official said, ‘in many cases, we have seen illegal connections being disconnected and reconnected. We think that this work is not possible without the connivance of the officials and employees of the gas distribution company. It has been decided to be strict in this regard.’
LNG being purchased at a higher price, is now being sold at a lower price. The government has to pay a huge subsidy for this. The government has taken initiative to disconnect illegal gas to stop the illegal use of this expensive gas.
Energy expert, Professor Shamsul Alam told Bangladesh Post, the government has cracked down on militants. So, it is not a difficult task to remove illegal gas connections. If there is goodwill, it is possible to get rid of illegal connections within 24 hours.
He said that illegal gas connection has become a big business for a class of unscrupulous people. This business is not being shut down due to political patronage, indulgence and dishonest officials and employees. Most of the officials and employees from the top to bottom of the company are immersed in corruption.
‘Action is being taken against those who are using illegal connections, but no action is being taken against those who are providing these connections. No action has been taken against Titas officials, despite allegations being made against them several times. It is possible to stop illegal gas connections very easily if exemplary punishment is ensured against those who are giving the connections and those who are encouraging the illegal acts from behind,’ he added.
According to reliable sources, in many areas, syndicates involving Titas employees and locals are maintaining these connections at a rate of taka 500-600 per month per connection. In order to provide these illegal connections, an unofficial amount of Tk 20,000 to Tk 70,000 is charged in the different areas.
The trend of giving and taking illegal gas connections started in 2009, the year when the government announced banning all new gas connections. Gas connection is still not provided to residents. It is also very difficult to get connections in the industry. However, a new connection is still available allegedly in return for bribe money.
Customers who took illegal connections say that illegal gas connections were obtained in exchange for bribes by a section of Titas officials and employees, contractors and some local leaders of the ruling political party. In some areas, bills are collected monthly. There are allegations that the gas used in the illegal connections is entered by Titas as system loss.
Several intelligence agencies have reported to the government over the years about illegal gas connections. In those reports, they mentioned the involvement of leaders and activists of the ruling party at various levels and dishonest officials and employees of Titas for the illegal gas connections.