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Inequity in gas bill goes on unabated


Published : 06 Dec 2021 10:50 PM | Updated : 07 Dec 2021 12:56 PM

Jiban Ahsan is spending Tk 975 per month to foot the household gas bill. Another consumer Muzahid Suvo, who lives in an adjacent building, spends taka 400-500 as prepaid bill.

Abdur Rashid's monthly LPG gas expense is taka 1600-1800 although he lives in the same area at a distance of about 300 meters  from Jiban’s residence.

All are residents of Madhya Paikpara in Mirpur in Dhaka, but this discrimination has been going on since long. Because, Jibon is using gas from the pipeline of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited (TGTDCL), a state-owned gas distribution company. He has to pay a fixed bill of taka 975 per month as a post- paid user. Even if gas is not used for the whole month, he has to pay the full gas bill.  

On the other hand, even using gas from the same pipeline, Muzahid spends only taka 400-500 per month, because TGTDCL has installed a pre-paid meter at his residence.  As a result, he pays the bill for the quantity of gas he uses . On the other hand, there is no Titas gas line at Rashid's house. He has to buy liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which costs around taka 1,300 per cylinder (12 kg). He can cook for 15 to 20 days with one cylinder of gas.

Most of the prepaid meter consumers say they need a maximum of Taka 500 per month for gas. Some prepaid consumers can cook for 3 months with gas worth Taka 1000. 

According to experts, if the gas distribution companies could ensure prepaid meters for all domestic gas users, around 40 percent less gas would be burnt as consumers would be frugal. Since it was not implemented, the country loses a huge quantity of gas, mainly through the burning of excess gas unnecessarily. Secondly, gas is being stolen through illegal connections.

If the theft could be stopped, the illegal income of the dishonest employees of the gas distribution companies specially of TGTDCL would be reduced. Due to this, they are reluctant to install the prepaid meters. There are still around 102 killometers illegal gas pipe line in TGDTCL distribution area.

Md. Abdul Jalil, Chairman of the Bangladesh Energy Reguletory Commission (BERC) has admitted the discrimination among household gas users. He told Bangladesh Post "We have repeatedly urged the distribution companies to install prepaid meter for all gas users. “

The government decided to install pre-paid meters to stop theft, waste and illegal use, along with establishing discipline and good governance in the gas sector. But the gas distribution companies are doing this very slowly.

Due to the slow pace of the meter installation, the consumers are paying extra bill using less amount of gas. For this Titas is taking taka 2 thousand crore extra from the consumers every year. One expert says that a whole amount is being stolen.  

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources has expressed dissatisfaction several times at the slow pace of installation of prepaid gas meters. 

BERC member (gas) Md. Maqbul-E-Elahi Chowdhury said Titas collected a bill of Tk 975 for supplying 77 cubic feet of gas in each house. The reality is that 40 to 45 cubic feet of gas is used against the collected bill. In other words, the rest of the gas is not included in the calculation, which is illegal. As long as the extra gas is not properly used, the illegal connection cannot be stopped. To solve this problem, he advised the gas distribution companies to quickly introduce prepaid gas meter.

However, gas prepaid meter installation work of six state-owned gas distribution companies is going on at a snail’s pace. The total number of residential consumers under the six gas distribution companies is currently around 43 lakh. Among them, around 3.5 lakh consumers have got prepaid meters. TGTDCL, the largest gas distribution company, has 28 lakh 46 thousand 419 residential consumers. Of these, only 3 lakh consumers have pre-paid meters. However, TGDTCL started the work since 2015. 

Engr. Md. Haronur Rashid Mullah, Managing Director of TGTDCL, told Bangladesh Post , ‘We have already installed around 3 lakh prepaid gas meters in our distribution area. More 20 thousand prepaid meter will be installed within two months. All consumers will get this facility in phases.’ 

Since 2009, the country has stopped providing gas connection to the residents. Since then, there has been a tendency to take illegal connections. On the other hand, the use of LPG increases.

M Shamsul Alam, energy adviser to the Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB), a consumer rights group, said there was no inequality in gas prices in any country. Inequality is a crime. 

He said installing prepaid meter is not a difficult task. But gas distribution companies are implementing prepaid meter installation projects at a snail’s pace. Because, if the meter is installed, the theft will stop. So, they do not want to lose this opportunity to steal. The theft in the gas sector cannot be stopped in any way unless pre-paid meters are installed.

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