State Minister for energy and power Nasrul Hamid said prepaid metres would be installed at all the houses in Dhaka. The minister came up with the information while exchanging Eid greetings with reporters at the Secretariat on Sunday morning. At that time, he also said that gas prices would be readjusted as the supply has increased.
“I have repeatedly stressed on readjusting the gas prices. We have submitted a proposal on readjustment of gas prices to Berc (Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission). Now the issue of resettling the gas prices depends on Berc,” the minister said. In reply to a query, Hamid said, “We have already provided around Tk 14,000 crore subsidy on gas. More Tk 14,000 crore would be needed in future, where would the government get the money? Problems would be created if the prices are not resettled.”
“We are discouraging use of gas at household levels. We are obtaining a mega project to refurbish the gas supply lines of the country, replacing the old pipelines with new ones. As part of the refurbishment, prepaid metres would also be installed at hundred percent houses in the capital with the financial assistance of development partners. Already we have contacted Japan International Cooperation Agency in this regard,” the minister added. For the next fiscal, the energy ministry has asked for Tk 29,000 crore allocation for the next fiscal in the upcoming budget.